Race Analysis: Bradenton City Council Ward 5

The non-partisan Bradenton City Council Ward 5 race sees newcomer Iris Thomas Garcia challenging first-term incumbent Pam Coachman.

Coachman won an 8-point victory over Keenan Wooten in 2020, following careers with the Manatee Clerk of Courts/Comptroller and the Manatee County School District, where she is currently employed. Coachman was a standout athlete at Manatee High School, where she was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975. She then attended the University of South Florida, earning a Master of Science degree in Speech and Language Pathology.

Coachman's family has deep roots in the community. She is the daughter of the late Jesse "Milkman" Mitchell, who spent many years delivering milk to the black neighborhoods of Bradenton, Palmetto, and Sarasota. Pam’s mother, also deceased, was Rosie "Nurse" Mitchell, who worked for many years at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

Coachman has been a steadfast advocate for the citizens of her ward, pushing for affordable housing and strategies that benefit small local businesses.

The council and mayor’s office have long been dominated by a good old boy’s network that has received valid criticism for allowing developer influence to dominate the decision-making process. Coachman seemed more inclined to go against the grain in the first two years of her term. After the 2022 elections, however, when fewer allies of that nature remained on the board, Coachman seemed to grow more comfortable with the status quo, particularly on citywide issues.

Iris Thomas Garcia was born in the Dominican Republic. Garcia's father's work forced the family to travel and relocate often. Though she had begun college in Puerto Rico, the family had moved to Florida before she could complete her degree. Arriving in Florida with "no job experience, no knowledge of English, and no connections," she landed her first job answering phones at Manatee Rural Health Clinic.

As her grasp of the language improved, Garcia worked as an English tutor for Title I Migrant students at Palmetto Elementary School. She eventually returned to college to complete her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Educational Leadership.

As her career progressed, Garcia became Dean of Students at Southeast High School and an adult education teacher at Manatee Technical Institute. She also completed coursework from USF to qualify as a Mental Health Therapist for Centerstone Behavioral Health alongside Child Protective Services.

We consider both Coachman and Garcia to be highly educated, professionally accomplished candidates with good skill sets for public office. We believe that both genuinely want what is best for their ward. While we have been somewhat disappointed with Coachman’s migration in the last two years, she remains a strong advocate for her ward. There is not enough to suggest that Garcia would necessarily be more effective as a change agent, especially considering that Jayne Kocher will be unopposed in the only other ward up for grabs this year.

Garcia and Coachman participated in a debate moderated by the League of Women Voters Manatee County, which can be viewed below. We recommend that Ward 5 voters view the debate to decide which qualified candidate would be a better representative of their interests.