Incumbent Rahn leads in District 4 campaign contributions, topping county commission field

With the candidate qualifying period closed, voters now know who will appear on the ballot in the Manatee County Commission District 4 race.

Republican incumbent Mike Rahn will face Republican challenger Glen Gibellina in the August 18 primary election. No Democratic or NPA candidates qualified for the race, but the filing of a write-in candidate, Allison Sneed, has closed the primary, meaning the District 4 commission race will be decided in August.

Campaign finance reports filed to date show Rahn holding a sizable fundraising advantage over Gibellina. With more than $61,000 reported as of the latest filing period. Rahn is also the top fundraiser among all county commission candidates this election cycle. His campaign contributions come from a mix of businesses, individuals (including many neighbors of Rahn’s from the Whitfield community where he resides), political committees, and current and former elected officials.

Rahn's campaign has raised more than four times the amount reported by his Republican primary opponent, Gibellina, who has reported just over $14,000, with all his reported contributions coming from candidate self-loans and individuals.

Incumbent Mike Rahn

Elected to the Manatee County Commission in 2022, Rahn is a lifelong resident of Manatee and Sarasota counties. According to his campaign website, after graduating from Sarasota High School, he served 13 years in the United States Marine Corps, including service during Operation Desert Storm, before beginning a decades-long career in the mortgage industry.

Prior to joining the commission, Rahn served on the Manatee County Planning Commission. He has held numerous leadership positions within the building industry, including serving as president of the Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association (renamed the Suncoast Builders Association in 2024), second vice president of the Florida Home Builders Association, and a board member of the National Association of Home Builders. He was inducted into the Florida Housing Hall of Fame in 2017.

Rahn's experience in the mortgage and homebuilding industries has been a central part of both his public service and campaign platform. During his first term, he consistently supported policies intended to encourage or support development, including votes to limit development impact fees below the maximum amount allowed under state law and to reduce local wetland protections to the state minimum standards. He also voted to repeal the county's ban on the retail sale of cats and dogs, a measure opposed by many local animal welfare advocates. During debate over that ordinance, some advocates criticized Rahn for accepting campaign contributions from individuals connected to local Petland stores.

Following the seating of a newly formed commission due to the 2024 election, the commission majority moved to correct prior board actions—reinstate local wetland protections and restore the county's prohibition on the retail sale of cats and dogs, as well as a vote to reconsider the impact fee rate—Rahn remained consistent in opposing each of those efforts.

According to the candidate’s website, Gibellina has served on several community organizations, including the board of the Suncoast Partnership, which focuses on addressing homelessness among veterans and seniors, and as vice chair of the Manatee County Affordable Housing Advisory Board. Gibellina also notably helped introduce Remote Area Medical to Manatee County, a program that provided free medical, dental, and vision services to residents in need. In 2025, the Manatee Tiger Bay Club recognized him with its Community Leadership Award.

A self-described conservative Republican, Gibellina is campaigning on issues including responsible growth, infrastructure investment, water management, and preserving local decision-making authority. He also champions expanded use of solar energy and has advocated for policies related to accessory dwelling units, including through his own work constructing homes from shipping containers.

As of the most recent reporting period, Gibellina has raised just over $14,000 in campaign contributions, a significant portion of which has come from loans to his own campaign—roughly $9,500 worth. His remaining contributions have come from individual donors, with most contributions ranging from about $10 to $500.

Unlike his opponent, Gibellina’s campaign finance reports do not show contributions from businesses, political committees, or industry-affiliated groups. Reported donors include retired residents, residents from Bradenton, Holmes Beach, Sarasota, Parrish, and other community members, including Manatee County Commissioner Bob McCann, who contributed $500 to Gibellina’s campaign.

Gibellina also reports receiving three individual donations from outside the local area, each from one individual from St. Petersburg, The Villages, and Treasure Island—one of whom has the last name Gibellina. 

As of the close of the last reporting period, the District 4 commission race features the largest fundraising gaps among county commission races this election cycle, with Rahn leading both the field in his reelection bid, but also among all hopeful commission candidates.

To learn more about the qualified candidates in Manatee County races, including their reported campaign finance reports, visit the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website and select the ‘local candidates and committees’ page.  

To view a calendar of 2026 Campaign Finance Reporting Dates, click here. For more information on the 2026 elections, visit The Bradenton Times Voter Guide page here.