The Manatee County Commission District 3 Republican primary will feature Talha "Tal" Siddique and April Culbreath. The winner will face Democrat Diana Shoemaker in November.
In September of last year, Siddique announced that he would challenge Manatee County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge in the 2024 Republican Primary for the District 3 seat. However, Van Ostenbridge has since jumped to the District 7 countywide race. Immediately following Van Ostenbridge’s move, Culbreath changed from District 7 to District 3.
Siddique is experienced, intelligent, educated, and steeped in traditional conservative values. Culbreath is a former law enforcement officer whose performance record raises questions as to how she was ever able to remain employed for so long by the Manatee Sheriff’s Office, given a prolific record of infractions for conduct that was completely unbefitting a sheriff’s deputy. You can read more about that here.
We do not believe she is fit to hold this or any other public office. What’s more, she has shown complete allegiance to Van Ostenbridge and the developer-sponsored majority currently running our county. There is no reason to believe that she would do anything other than add ink to the developer rubber stamp that has been this county commission.
Siddique has a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Sciences with a minor in Computer Science from George Washington University. He has served in roles within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Air Force. He is a proven patriot by way of his record rather than his rhetoric.
Siddique’s campaign has been one of citizen empowerment. If elected, he has vowed to return government to the people and be a genuine representative of his constituents. This would stand in stark contrast to every commissioner on the current board, except George Kruse, whom we also endorsed.
If you want responsive elected officials who are unafraid of standing up to special interests, The Bradenton Times strongly recommends you vote for Tal Siddique in this race.
