INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Voters will choose a Republican nominee for the open District 2 seat on the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners in the Aug. 18 primary, with the winner advancing to face a Democratic challenger in the November general election.
Four-term Republican Commissioner Joe Flescher is not seeking reelection. The District 2 seat covers much of northern Indian River County, including Sebastian. Three Republicans — Bob McPartlan, Jennifer A. Pippin and Daniel Brooks Robinson — are competing in the primary. The winner will face Democrat Robert “Robbie” Hardingham on Nov. 3.
County commissioners serve four-year terms. Eligible voters countywide may cast ballots in the race, though candidates must live in District 2. Early voting for the primary runs Aug. 8-15. Florida holds closed primaries, so only registered Republicans may vote in the District 2 Republican primary.
Bob McPartlan
Bob McPartlan, of Sebastian, is a U.S. Army veteran who enlisted at age 18 and served as an explosive ordnance disposal specialist, rising to the rank of sergeant. He later volunteered for activation during Operation Desert Storm while serving in the Army Reserves. After his military service, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and English from the State University of New York at Albany.
McPartlan has spent more than 25 years with the Florida Department of Children and Families, beginning as a child protective investigator and advancing to community development administrator for the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee counties. He has served on the Sebastian City Council since 2011, including multiple terms as mayor and currently as vice mayor. He has also served for more than 15 years on the Metropolitan Planning Organization, helping guide regional transportation and infrastructure decisions.
Flescher endorsed McPartlan ahead of the primary. “I’m proud to have the endorsement of Commissioner Joe Flescher. His confidence in my leadership and commitment to serving Indian River County means a great deal to me,” McPartlan said.
McPartlan’s priorities include protecting the Indian River Lagoon, fiscal responsibility and smart growth, public safety and infrastructure, and supporting families and seniors. He has emphasized septic-to-sewer conversions and regional partnerships for lagoon health.
McPartlan, a husband and father of four, has emphasized practical experience over politics in his campaign, pointing to his work through multiple budget cycles on the Sebastian City Council and his long tenure guiding regional transportation decisions through the Metropolitan Planning Organization. He has said he wants to bring the same steady, results-oriented approach to countywide issues of growth, infrastructure and fiscal discipline.
Jennifer A. Pippin
Jennifer A. Pippin, of Sebastian, works in property management and has a background in education advocacy. She previously served as a founding chapter chair of Moms for Liberty in Indian River County, PTA president, and on multiple school district and state education committees. She received the Taxpayers of Indian River Ted Brown Award in 2021.
Pippin stresses fiscal responsibility, support for a proposed state constitutional amendment on property taxes (“Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes”), responsible growth that aligns infrastructure and public safety with development, and backing for law enforcement and first responders. She has said she supports competitive pay for deputies while emphasizing long-term fiscal planning.
Former Sebastian Mayor Jim Hill has endorsed Pippin, stating she “is the only candidate who has come out in support of giving struggling homeowners relief from their property taxes and is clearly the only choice, for me, for Indian River County Commissioner in District 2.”
Questions have been raised by the public and on social media about aspects of Pippin’s professional and financial background. Pippin has previously described herself as a registered or operating-room nurse in public statements and media appearances. Public database searches and Florida Department of Health responses have found no matching nursing license under her name or known maiden name.
A Vero Beach political publication reported on Aug. 4 that it obtained a copy of a license verification document through Pippin’s attorney showing a Florida Registered Nurse license originally issued in 2010 with an “unencumbered” status. The publication said it would not release the document, citing privacy related to a federal identity-theft case involving unemployment benefits in which some credentials were made unsearchable. Pippin has stated she is not currently practicing as an RN.
The Florida Department of Health has previously stated in writing: “We are unable to find anyone licensed by the department matching the information you provided. In addition, there is no way for a medical license to be made private under any circumstances.”
On her candidate financial disclosure form, Pippin listed “N/A” in response to whether she had ever filed for bankruptcy. Court records show she filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in August 2010 under her maiden name in the Southern District of Florida.
Daniel Brooks Robinson
Daniel Brooks Robinson (also referred to as Brooks Robinson), of Vero Beach, was born and raised in Indian River County. He attended Rosewood Magnet School, Gifford Middle School and Vero Beach High School before earning both a bachelor’s degree in political science and a law degree from Stetson University, where he met his wife, Malorie.
Robinson is vice president and general counsel at Fulmer Logistics Services, a multi-generational family business founded in Indian River County in 1974. He has been involved with the company since age 16, gaining experience in freight operations, negotiations, sales and business management. A lifelong Republican, he joined the Indian River County Republican Executive Committee at 16, becoming its youngest member, and has remained active in local political and community efforts.
He has volunteered with various political campaigns and supports local organizations including Hibiscus Children’s Center and United Against Poverty. He has also served on his neighborhood homeowners association, helping lead the transition from developer control to resident control. Robinson is a husband and father who has described himself as deeply invested in the long-term future of Indian River County.
Robinson has been endorsed by the REALTORS Association of Indian River County and Indian River Firefighters. His platform focuses on smart managed growth and infrastructure (including the comprehensive plan and key road and airport improvements), economic development to diversify the tax base beyond residential property taxes, public safety, quality of life, and environmental stewardship of the lagoon through septic-to-sewer conversions and public-private partnerships.
Robert “Robbie” Hardingham
Robert “Robbie” Hardingham, a Democrat and Vero Beach resident, is a truck driver and U.S. Army veteran. Born in Miami in 1975, he moved to Indian River County as a young child and graduated from Vero Beach High School. After high school he entered the Army, serving two years as a petroleum supply specialist and fuel truck driver before returning home.
Hardingham obtained his commercial driver’s license in 1998 and has worked as a truck driver for nearly three decades, including long-haul routes across the country and more recent runs between Fort Pierce and Jacksonville. He has described himself as a first-time candidate who decided to run in early 2026 because he wanted a voice for working people on the County Commission.
He has framed his campaign around veterans, affordability, the lagoon, opportunity and respect. His priorities include lagoon cleanup, affordable housing and support for the unhoused, transparency in how taxpayer dollars are spent, and greater attention to the needs of veterans. Hardingham has said he is not a career politician and does not intend to push personal views on the community.
In candidate questionnaires and public appearances, Hardingham has emphasized practical concerns such as restoring the health of the Indian River Lagoon so residents can again fish and swim in it, accelerating septic-to-sewer conversions in older neighborhoods, and ensuring that growth does not continue to erase farmland and orange groves without community input. He has also spoken about the need for greater transparency in county spending.
Hardingham filed for bankruptcy in 2006 following the death of a partner and co-driver, an event he has publicly disclosed. He has said the experience reinforced his focus on affordability and the challenges facing working families in Indian River County.
Shared priorities
Candidates have repeatedly highlighted the Indian River Lagoon’s health, managing growth without overwhelming infrastructure or quality of life, fiscal discipline, and public safety in responses to questionnaires and on campaign websites.
Campaign finance
As of the most recent campaign finance reports, Bob McPartlan has raised approximately $50,000, Jennifer Pippin about $41,000, and Daniel Brooks Robinson about $34,000. Robert “Robbie” Hardingham has raised roughly $4,200. (Figures are approximate and subject to later filings.)
Key differences on local issues
While all four candidates emphasize lagoon protection, fiscal discipline and managed growth, they differ in emphasis. McPartlan stresses experience with local budgets and regional infrastructure planning. Pippin highlights support for the proposed state property-tax amendment and competitive pay for deputies. Robinson focuses on updating the comprehensive plan, economic diversification and airport improvements. Hardingham prioritizes lagoon restoration, affordable housing and greater transparency in county spending.
Election details
The Republican primary is closed, meaning only registered Republicans may vote in the Aug. 18 contest. Early voting runs Aug. 8–15. All eligible voters countywide may participate in the general election on Nov. 3. Sample ballots, early voting locations and polling places are available at voteindianriver.gov.
Campaign websites
- Bob McPartlan: votebobmcpartlan.com
- Jennifer A. Pippin: votejenniferpippin.com
- Daniel Brooks Robinson: votebrooksrobinson.com
- Robert “Robbie” Hardingham: robbiehardingham.com
