Kruse, McCann, Siddique, and Felts win Manatee County Commission Races

MANATEE COUNTY — When the new board is seated this month, the Manatee County Commission will include three new faces.

In the Manatee County Commission District 1 race, community activist Carol Ann Felts of Myakka City handily defeated Democrat Glenn Pearson and NPA candidate Jennifer Hamey.

Felts had previously scored a huge upset over developer-sponsored candidate Steve Metallo in the Republican primary despite a massive funding disadvantage. Her victory in both races represents one of the most impressive grassroots victories in the post-Citizens United era.

Felts earned 64% of the vote, Pearson got a surprising 26% in the deep red district, and Hamey, a popular attorney and activist in Parrish, collected only 9%. These results prove that an NPA candidacy is still a steep uphill battle.

In District 3, Republican Tal Siddique easily defeated Democrat Diana Shoemaker by 20 points. Siddique, who likewise defeated a better-funded opponent in the GOP primary, got just over 60% of the vote.

In District 5, Republican Robert McCann cruised past NPA candidate Joseph Di Bartolomeo 72% to 27%. McCann also overcame long odds in the Republican primary, easily defeating incumbent Ray Turner, who had been appointed to the seat by the governor following Vannessa Baugh’s resignation and had strong financial backing from developers.

In the District 7 At-Large (countywide) race, incumbent Republican George Kruse easily defeated grassroots Democrat Sari Lindroos-Valimaki. Kruse, who throttled unpopular incumbent District 3 commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge in the Republican primary, got 66% percent of the vote in the general election.