The Manatee County Commission District 5 race will feature Republican Robert McCann and NPA candidate Joseph Di Bartolomeo.
Dr. McCann won an impressive grassroots victory over developer-backed incumbent Ray Turner in August’s Republican primary. Turner had been appointed to the seat when Vanessa Baugh retired and consistently voted in line with developer interests. Despite having far fewer resources at his disposal, McCann connected with D5 voters to easily win a pivotal race that helped ensure that Big Development would not have a majority of commissioners in its pocket on the next board.
McCann is a Navy veteran, a recently retired physician, and a lawyer with a Master’s in Business/Health Care Administration. In 2000, he was vetted as a candidate for U.S. Surgeon General. His education and broad diversity in professional experience make him one of the most qualified county commission candidates we have encountered.
McCann has loudly decried the outsized influence that developers currently enjoy and has pledged to restore local government to a body that truly represents the people in our community instead of a limited cabal of special interests. What’s more, he has a proven track record of someone with both the integrity and fortitude to deliver on such promises.
Joseph Di Bartolomeo is a qualified candidate, and we are grateful he decided to enter this crucial race. Di Bartolomeo filed to run for the seat precisely because he wanted to give D5 residents the option to vote for someone who would have the courage to push back against the special interests that have directed the current board.
Had Commissioner Turner prevailed over McCann in the Republican primary, we would be endorsing Mr. Di Bartolomeo. That said, in this race, we find Dr. McCann to be the stronger of two qualified candidates.
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mklimek
Mr. McCann has accepted an endorsement from Ret. Gen Mike Flynn who is a member of the Sarasota Republican Executive Committee which is defunct as a result of corruption. He is also a supporter of Trump. For these reasons I feel that he is more vulnerable to MAGA influence. The greedy developers will keep at him until he folds. We cannot risk this. Joe Di Bartolomeo has my vote.
Monday, October 14, 2024 Report this
LnELong
While !McCann may have a lot of education, his career has been focused in healthcare. Joe Di Bartolomeo is also highly educated. He has advanced degrees in Accounting, Finance and Information Technology. Di Bartolomeo worked in executive financial roles for Fortune 500 companies and has been a small business owner for the last 20 years. Joe has been out there working as an activist in District 5 working with Esplanade, Tara, Azario and other communities in their own fights against over-development. After Hurricane Milton Joe was one of the first on the road after the storm to assess damage and provide assistance. Di Bartolomeo’s community involvement speaks to the favt that he is the better candidate.
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 Report this
mklimek
I want to correct my mistake regarding the Sarasota Republican Executive Committee being defunct. It is the MANATEE Republican Executive committee that is defunct due to corruption. Even worse. Our local Republicans are not in good shape. Time for a big change on the Commission. Vote for Joe.
Thursday, October 17, 2024 Report this