Florida GOP Un-Elects Manatee County State Committeeman and Committeewoman

TALLAHASSEE — A recent action of the Republican Party of Florida is being criticized by some Manatee County Republican Executive Committee members after the RPOF grievance committee recommended and state executive party Chairman Evan Powers approved the removal of Manatee County State Republican Committeeman and Committeewoman elects. Both positions have been replaced with RPOF appointments.

This latest shake-up in the Manatee REC comes roughly seven months after the RPOF announced that it was suspending the local Republican Committee for an undetermined length of time.

The suspension also drew criticism from some local party members who alleged the action may have been the result of the then-REC chair and Manatee County Commission candidate, April Culbreath, losing her bid for election during the August Primary Election.

Culbreath was one of four Republican candidates whose race for a commission seat ended in the 2024 primary election after local Republican voters overwhelmingly supported alternative grassroots Republican candidates following a contentious primary campaign season.

However, official communications from the RPOF to Manatee REC members stated that the local committee’s suspension was due to nearly 100 grievances being filed against the party's county leadership.

According to RPOF Chairman Powers, the voluminous number of complaints led the grievance committee to decide it was impossible to untangle the complex dynamics of the local situation to address the issues properly. Instead, it issued the suspension so the REC could be reorganized.

At the time of the RPOF’s announcement of the suspension, then-State Committeeman-elect Trent Wayman encouraged REC members to “rely on official sources for information” and to await the details of the "turnaround plan" that state Republican leadership said would be forthcoming.

That 2-phase turnaround plan was adopted by resolution by the RFOP Executive Committee roughly two weeks after the local REC was suspended.

Phase 1 of the plan included appointing a field director to serve during the reorganization in place of a local committee chairperson and for full control of the Manatee REC bank account to come under the RPOF.

In addition, the RPOF grievance committee was to “begin the removal process for members who violate rules or collaborate with other groups to disrupt Manatee County operations.”

Phase 2 instructed that the RPOF grievance committee would begin “rebuilding leadership” by identifying and appointing new members to the REC’s board.

In an email sent to REC members this month on March 14, RPOF Executive Director Bill Helmich advised that the local Republican committee man and woman were being removed from their elected positions and that new appointees would be assuming the roles.

Helmich’s email also announced RPOF's appointees to the local REC board, including a chair, vice chair, treasurer, and secretary. 

In the email, Helmich wrote that RPOF leadership had come against difficulty “getting access to the Manatee REC bank account.”

The email further explained that the committee man and woman were found to have “repeatedly engaged in activities that were contrary to the (REC) turnaround plan” and “were actively working to prevent the turnaround plan from succeeding.”

Helmich’s email didn’t provide any detail as to what specific actions the local committee man and woman had undertaken to undermine the RPOF's turnaround plan for the REC. 

Wayman—who was elected committeeman during the 2024 August Primary—would be replaced by Jennings Lawton Depriest. Depriest was not a candidate for the position during the primary.

Committeewoman Jacqueline Heisse—who won the primary election against three other candidates for the position—was replaced by Jayne Kocher.

Like Depriest, Kocher was not a candidate on the primary ballot for the state committee position—though Kocher was a previous Manatee REC member whereas Depriest was not.

During the most recent local elections, Depriest became known among local political circles for his controversial electioneering activities. A self-described “professional propagandist,” Depriest made a name for himself through his attempts to influence voters with mass letter and text campaigns, social media influence efforts, and other antics—some of which were undertaken outside polling locations.

Kocher is a local realtor and City of Bradenton Councilwoman of the city’s Ward 1.

The other RPOF appointees to the REC’s board include former state representative Mark Flanagan to serve as REC chairman, former Palmetto City Commission candidate, and commercial real estate developer Matt Kezar as vice chair, and the roles of treasurer and secretary will be served by Agatha Mantanes and Jordan Varnadore, respectively.

Unlike committee men and women, REC board members are appointed by nomination and election by REC members. State committee roles are filled through the primary election ballot in races that are voted on by all registered Republicans within the county, not just by REC members.

During the August primary, Wayman received just over 59% of the local Republican vote, defeating his opponent. Heisse earned over 36% support among four candidates in the race, with the next closest opponent receiving just 27%. Both Wayman and Heisse enjoyed definitive victories in their respective races. 

Roughly an hour after REC members received Helmich’s email last week, ousted committeewoman Heisse sent members an email of her own.

Heisse began her message, writing, “I need to inform you that yesterday I received the attached letter from Evan Power, Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF), stating that I have been removed from the Manatee Republican Executive Committee, as well as from my elected position of Republican State Committeewoman.

“According to Mr. Power, I am removed  ‘due to disruption with Manatee REC operations and the implementation of the Turnaround Plan in accordance with the directives given by the RPOF Executive Board.’”

Heisse went on to add that she was not provided any details regarding specific actions that were deemed disruptive to the turnaround plan.

“In fact,” she wrote in the email, “I have not been made aware of any activity with respect to such plan and there have been no executive committee meetings or activities.”

Heisse concluded her email by encouraging REC members to remain with the local political committee and continue engaging in local party efforts.

“We need you to fight for a proper government in Manatee County, controlled by the people of Manatee County.  No one should leave the Manatee County Executive Committee until they are literally thrown out,” she wrote. 

Heisse attached a copy of the letter she received from the RPOF. The letter was nearly identical to the letter Wayman received, which he later shared online.

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