Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie Running for Florida House

Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie is running for the state legislature in 2026. He's a filed candidate for the 29th state House district, currently held by Republican Webster Barnaby. The decision to run for the Florida House of Representatives was announced by Leslie on Monday. As Barnaby himself is also filed to run for another term in office, Leslie is launching a primary opposition campaign. The race will be decided in the August 2026 primary election by registered Republican voters within Florida's 29th state House district. As of Thursday, no other candidates are filed to run in the 29th district, Republican or otherwise. Leslie was first elected Ormond Beach mayor in 2024, defeating City Commissioner Susan Persis with 56.3% of the vote. He reportedly moved to Ormond Beach in 2021. Outside of public service, Leslie works in commercial real estate. "I'm running for District 29 to provide representation by someone who will be accessible and accountable to the constituents," Leslie said in a release announcing his candidacy. "I'm already meeting with community members and learning that they feel they haven't had a voice in Tallahassee. I will be that voice for them." Some of the key issues Leslie says he plans to address are smart growth and flooding concerns. If he wins, he'll represent an area that includes all or part of Deltona, Deland, Lake Helen, and Port Orange. Leslie's predecessor as Ormond Beach mayor, Bill Partington, has represented the 28th Florida House district since 2024. Incumbent Webster Barnaby was first elected to office in 2020, succeeding current Volusia County Council member David Santiago. He was born in the United Kingdom and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1998. If he wins another term in 2026, Barnaby will be term-limited out of office at the end of 2028.