From Staff Reports
After weeks of speculation, local attorney Matt Aungst has announced his entry into the 2026 race for Mayor of Apopka. He joins incumbent Mayor Bryan Nelson and Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore on the ballot, turning what had been a two-person contest into a three-way election.
Aungst made the announcement on his personal Facebook page Friday evening:
"After due consideration, and after many requests and encouragement from so many in Apopka, I have decided to seek election for the Mayor of Apopka," he wrote. "In coming to the decision, I gave serious thought to the many issues we face in Apopka, as well as the current state of this particular race. For an abundance of reasons, I will NOT be accepting ANY campaign contributions. I ask that everyone who is so inclined, to join me in this effort. Do not get me wrong; this will be a TEAM effort, however, none of my teammates will need their checkbook or wallet. I wanted to address this on my personal page first, with a more formal statement coming Monday. Thank you to everyone."
He posted a screenshot showing $265,026.50 in his campaign account, signaling that he is financially prepared to run a competitive campaign without relying on contributions.
“Some said ‘my campaign would not be fiscally competitive without donations.’ Let’s start with this…”
His entry into the race follows a series of “Make Apopka Great Again” mailers and billboards that sparked widespread discussion online and in the community. In a July statement to The Apopka Voice, Aungst said the campaign materials were not intended to launch his candidacy but to ignite a broader conversation.
“The hope was to inspire reflection among residents, neighbors, taxpayers, business owners, and community members about the current state of Apopka and the critical leadership decisions ahead.”
Related: A July 16th interview with Matt Aungst.
In response to the announcement, Brian Byrd, co-founder of the Make Apopka Great Again Facebook page, announced that Aungst has been removed as administrator to maintain neutrality on the platform.
“I am thrilled that Matt Aungst has officially launched his campaign for Mayor of Apopka,” Byrd wrote. “While I won’t pretend to be neutral, I also want this page to be about the priority of issues that the City of Apopka faces and not to serve as a cheerleader for any one candidate. Thus Matt Aungst has been removed as Administrator of this page.”
With Aungst’s entry, the 2026 Apopka mayoral election again features three candidates. First-time challenger William Dabbs withdrew from the race in July for personal reasons.
Election Day is set for March 10, 2026. The deadline to register to vote is February 9th, and vote-by-mail requests must be submitted by February 26th.
This developing story will be updated in future editions. Stay with The Apopka Voice for continuing coverage of the 2026 mayoral election.
