Theresa Carli Pontieri is one of three candidates running for the Flagler County Commission’s District 2 seat. The current seat-holder, Greg Hansen, is not running for re-election. Pontieri’s opponents are Greg Feldman and Raymond Royer. Pontieri and Feldman are running as Republicans while Royer is filed as an Independent candidate.
The 2026 primary election is on Tuesday, August 18. Flagler County voters will be able to vote for the District 2 and District 4 seats. Because multiple party affiliations are on the District 2 ballot, only registered Republican voters can vote between Pontieri and Feldman in the primary election.
The top candidate in the Republican primary will move on to the general election on November 3. Their name will appear on the ballot next to Royer’s.
Other Candidate Interviews
Flagler County Commission:
- Theresa Carli Pontieri (District 2)
- Greg Feldman (District 2)
- Raymond Royer (District 2)
- Anna Jones (District 4)
Flagler School Board:
- Cathy Moon (District 1)
- Jill Woolbright (District 1)
- Rob Wood (District 2)
- Christy Chong (District 4)
- Ron Long (District 4)
- Trevor Tucker (District 4)
Palm Coast City Council:
- Tony Amaral Jr. (District 2)
- Jeani Duarte (District 2)
- Dylana ‘Dee’ Galery (District 4)
- John Kvederis (District 4)
- Ramon Marrero (District 4)
- Darlene Shelley (District 4)
Interview Criteria
- The object of the interview is not to grill the candidate, nor to give them softballs. Ideally, in their answers the candidates provide to voters a useful insight into their ideology, their priorities, and their knowledgeability and preparedness for office.
- These questions are sent to each declared candidate in Flagler County’s local elections. All candidates running for the same office received the same exact questions.
- The only edits made are for spelling, formatting and basic grammar (i.e., ‘their’ when it should be ‘there’). Censorship of profanity may also be applied if it were applicable. Otherwise, answers are presented in their full form as the candidate provides them.
- Answers are subject to fact-checking if they contain information that’s blatantly misleading or untrue (misrepresenting factually verifiable information, misquoting a statistic, etc). Clarifications will be added underneath the candidate’s answer if applicable. The answers will still be presented as given even if a fact-check or clarification is needed.
Candidate Interview
Date of Birth: February 7, 1985
Hometown: Born in Mountain Home, Idaho on the Air Force base, grew up in Miamitown, Ohio and Summerville, South Carolina
Career/Educational Resume:
1) Do you believe your national political views are relevant to Flagler County voters? If so, explain what you hope those beliefs will communicate to residents about what kind of commissioner you’d be.
“My conservative Republican values are relevant to Flagler County voters, though my views on specific national issues are not. My conservative values reflect a belief in limited government, fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, private-sector solutions, strong property rights, economic growth through free enterprise, local decision-making, and respect for the Constitution and the principles of our Founders. These principles guide how I approach policy and help define the kind of commissioner I would be.”
2) What personal qualities do you possess that you believe would make you effective in forming consensus in a group with diverse viewpoints and philosophies?
“I’m an attorney by trade, so it’s my job to persuade people to believe in my position on issues for a living. I do it every day in the legal context—whether it’s in a courtroom, a mediation, or just in informal negotiations. I am also a data-driven decision-maker, which means I research issues to a great extent before I take a specific position on things. This helps me to not only make the right decisions but to also get consensus from my peers, as they can be confident that the position is supported by data and sound reasoning.”
3) What should be Flagler County’s immediate budgetary priorities if Amendment 3 passes in November, effectively phasing out most local property taxes in Florida?
“This is difficult to answer because the mechanics of Amendment 3 are still unclear. However, if it passes, I believe Flagler County should take three immediate steps:
- Evaluate and prioritize core government services to ensure those essential areas are funded;
- Identify opportunities to consolidate services with local municipalities through interlocal agreements, such as communications and code enforcement; and
- Work with state and federal partners to secure additional funding, recognizing Flagler County’s heavy reliance on ad valorem revenue, before considering other funding mechanisms.”
4) What is your stance on potential moratoriums on data centers in Flagler County?
“I support the county’s one-year moratorium. Although I proposed a similar moratorium in the City, there was not enough consensus for an outright ban because of potential legal challenges. Large-scale data centers can pose serious risks and impacts to communities, and I support keeping them out of Flagler County.”
5) With consideration for your previous answer, how selective can Flagler County afford to be as it strives to expand commercial tax revenue?
“Flagler County does not need data centers to grow its commercial tax base. Instead, we should pursue commercial and industrial opportunities that fit the county’s character, avoid negative impacts on residents and existing businesses, and support long-term growth across complementary sectors. Strong examples include the medical and aerospace industries, as well as continued investment in sports tourism and agritourism.”
6) Flagler County Commissioners are not bound by any term limits. If not compelled, do you believe in voluntarily relinquishing a seat after a certain number of years? How long would you serve in office if it were up to you?
“I support term limits at every level of government. At the same time, I understand how long it can take to be effective in public office, especially for someone new to government. In many cases, a first term is spent learning the process and building the relationships needed to get meaningful work done. For that reason, I would likely support a three-term, or 12-year, limit. Until such limits exist, however, if Flagler County voters remain satisfied with my service and continue to re-elect me, I would be honored to serve for as long as they entrust me with the responsibility.”
7) Name one issue you feel is not getting the attention it deserves from Flagler County officials and/or media, and why you feel it’s important.
“Economic development. It is not receiving the attention or funding it deserves, and it is one of the primary reasons I am running for County Commission. Flagler County cannot fully prosper unless we make economic development a stronger priority by attracting industries and sectors that can thrive here while remaining consistent with our community’s character and way of life.”
8) Describe a time you made a mistake in your professional career, and what steps you took to remedy the situation and learn from the error.
“In my second year of practice as an attorney, I accidentally sent an email to my paralegal, wherein I was complaining about a judge’s decision, and I accidentally copied the judge’s judicial assistant. I was upset because I felt the judge was unnecessarily taking it easy on the other side, giving them additional chances to make things right, rather than awarding me the judgment the law provided for. The very next day, I had a hearing in front of that same judge in a different case, and after the hearing, she held me back and spoke to me privately.
“She explained to me that I had no idea why she made the decision she made; rather, I incorrectly assumed her reasoning was flawed due to my lack of experience and failure to try to see things through her lens. That was the lessen—don’t jump to judgment, because you may not know as much as you think you know when it comes to the rationale someone may have when taking certain actions or saying certain things. She said something to me that I’ll never forget: ‘Do not confuse my kindness for weakness.’ As an aside, this judge and I have an amazing relationship and rapport, and I feel blessed and thankful for her graciousness in teaching me a valuable lesson as a young attorney.”
