Next month, Manatee County voters will go to the polls in what is sure to be another deeply consequential election. The question is whether voters remain as engaged as they were when they banded together across party lines to thwart special-interest-funded candidates in 2024. Big Development is betting that dissatisfaction brought about by preemption bills from Tallahassee that have hampered new officeholders from following through on campaign promises will lead to disenfranchised voters who do not turn out this time around. I sincerely hope they are wrong.
Manatee County voters successfully flipped a developer-dominated county commission last cycle. While those preemption bills have prevented the new board from taking many of its intended actions, they will soon expire. But with four of seven seats up for grabs, developers can easily regain a majority of the votes, which makes this year’s Republican primaries every bit as crucial as 2024’s. What’s more, those primaries will also give Republican voters a chance to vote for state house candidates who have campaigned as fierce champions of home rule.
In a deep red county, Republican voters will again be key in determining our community's future. Republican primary voters have the opportunity to throw Mike Rahn and Amanda Ballard off the county commission in favor of non-developer-funded candidates Glen Gibellina and Edward Bailey in District 4 and 2, respectively. They can also nominate an equally principled candidate for the District 1 seat left vacant by the passing of Carol Felts (we recommend Liz Arnold) and put a sustainable growth candidate in the District 6 race (we recommend Ed Ference).
Equally important are this year’s state house races, where Republicans can vote for candidates who have vowed to ardently oppose the developer-friendly preemption bills that the party has been passing en masse at the state level in recent years. D72 Rep. Bill Conerly has been a rubber stamp for developer preemption bills, and Republican voters can send him packing by voting for John “Captain” Phillips. D71 Rep. Will Robinson will be term-limited out of his seat. Melton Little has been the Republican candidate in that race who has been the loudest voice in terms of fighting for home rule, if elected.
There are also two non-partisan Manatee School Board races on the August ballot, making it equally important for NPA voters to turn out. It had been a tough decade and a half for public education in our community, and with things finally seeming to move consistently in the right direction these past few years, it remains critical that voters remain engaged and send qualified candidates into the November runoff.
Vern Buchanan’s unexpected retirement has also given us one of the most robust fields of Congressional candidates in Manatee County history. Both the Republican and Democratic primaries are stacked with an interesting array of candidates who bring different strengths to their races. Given the historical success of Congressional incumbents, it is likely that voters will elect someone who will be in office for some time, making this race even more impactful.
In other words, this is not the year to take our collective foot off the gas. If I am being honest, I have not felt the same kind of energy and enthusiasm that I did at this point in 2024, and that concerns me. I really hope that it is just because people have remained engaged in a less public way than during that emotional election cycle, but we should not take anything for granted. I realize that if you are reading this column, you are almost certainly going to be casting a ballot next month. However, we would all be better served by doing everything we can to ensure that our friends, neighbors, and family members are aware of what is at stake and how much of it will unfold before November.
The developers have their plan. They are carpetbombing the community with dishonest dark money advertisements aimed at misinforming voters by casting their candidates as the exact opposite of what they actually are. That kind of cynical, bottom-feeder approach only works against an ignorant and/or lazy electorate. For a long time, it worked just fine here in Manatee County. And then, once they had pushed too hard and taken too much, it worked no longer. But democracy is a hands-on enterprise that requires constant maintenance to work effectively.
Visit our voter guide page for more information on the August ballot and be sure to spread the word!
Dennis "Mitch" Maley is an editor and columnist for The Bradenton Times and the host of our weekly podcast. With over two decades of experience as a journalist, he has covered Manatee County government since 2010. He is a graduate of Shippensburg University and later served as a Captain in the U.S. Army. Click here for his bio. Mitch's new novel, Fish Kill, is currently available here, along with his previous books. He can be reached at editor@thebradentontimes.com.
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GLEN GADFLY GIBELLINA
Rahn and Ballard have to be voted out of office.
A strong yes to Glen Gibellina and Edward Bailey — it’s time to clear the path for real change.
Manatee County voters already proved in 2024 that we can come together across party lines to push back against a developer-dominated commission. That energy still matters. With four seats on the line and the temporary state preemption bills about to expire, this year’s Republican primaries are the decisive moment. Keeping the same voices who have been part of the old power structure will not deliver the home-rule, responsible-growth, and accountable government people voted for.
Mike Rahn and Amanda Ballard represent continuity with the approach that left residents feeling like afterthoughts in their own county’s growth. Replacing them with Glen Gibellina in District 4 and Edward Bailey in District 2 is the clearest way to protect the progress that was started and to keep special-interest influence from reclaiming a majority.
Glen has spent years showing up, speaking out, and holding the commission accountable. He is already doing the work of a commissioner from the podium and the community. Edward Bailey is a lifelong Manatee resident who understands that District 2 residents should not be treated as an afterthought while development decisions are made. Both candidates are running as people-first, non-developer-funded alternatives focused on home rule, smarter growth, water management, and putting residents ahead of quick payouts.
If we want anything to actually change once the preemption constraints lift, we need commissioners who will fight for it rather than manage the status quo. Throwing out these two incumbents in the primary is the practical, necessary step. Vote Gibellina in District 4 and Bailey in District 2 — and keep the momentum going with principled choices in the other open seats. The developers are counting on low turnout and fatigue. Let’s prove them wrong again.
For the Record
Glen GADFLY Gibellina
https://electglengibellina.com/
Saturday, July 25 Report this
sandy
SB 180 does not sunset until more than a year from now (Oct. 1, 2027). But be advised also in SB 180 252.442(2) for 1 year after a hurricane makes landfall an impacted local government (listed in federal disaster declarations located entirely or partially with 100 miles of the track of a storm declared to be a hurricane by NWC), the provisions will continue.
If hit by a hurricane this year, and then hit with a hurricane the next year, each adding a year from date of landfall, the provisions of SB 180 could potentially be in perpetuity if Manatee County is impacted by just one hurricane a year.
Pray we don't get hit by a hurricane before bringing back the wetland buffers, eliminate 2.1.2.3, raise impact fees (and actually get to use the money).
Sunday, July 26 Report this
graumli22
@mitchmaley, I can honestly say, aside from the BOCC race, I still don't know who I'm voting for. I know what direction I'd like to see our county and state go, but some candidates tout issues that have nothing to do with the issues you've touched on in your Commentary. Or, they claim they're going to "do something" but fail to explain what their plan is. We all know the devil is in the details! I will continue to do my research before voting, but I'm disappointed that, unlike last year, I don't see any "standouts" thus far. I wish I could vote for Glen Gibellina, but I can only do my part by voting for Ed Bailey. :)
Sunday, July 26 Report this
Charles
— I share Mitch's assessments, regarding the importance of the 2026 primary and general elections, the voters having become enlightened about candidates lying to them and being funded to misguide them, and the importance of sharing this with as many disengaged voters as possible. Careless voters are not those who have begun to turn things around and I suspect sense may be made to them — if thoughtful voters make sure to engage with them. TBT has taken the time to examine and assess candidates for those who will work for the community, not milk and pollute it for pure and sole profit.
Besides the local races, the federal congressional race is especially important for the future of the county —and the region— so think long term and especially, for a candidate who can beat the dark money special being offered by the stinking corruption from our region and all the way to the top. I know it is tempting to want the favorite local candidate, but he has vowed to be a one-term office holder and that is not the best intention for this type of representation and, he is unlikely to gain votes from others in the district who live in other counties. Remember that this congressional office is regional and a long-term office holder will benefit us all best. Besides hoping to defeat the dark money machine that is flooding voters with materials and ads, I personally think Kirschner would be the best choice ultimately and hope he is chosen to go against the dark money candidate. Whichever primary one votes in, please keep the long run in mind.
And please, encourage others to vote smartly — to continue the trend of turning things around. We are at a unique threshold with this race, it likely will affect us for decades.
Tuesday, July 28 Report this