State Republican Party’s Installation of Radical Right Mark Flanagan Drives Manatee Republicans to Moderate Democrats

Manatee County’s voters have sent an unmistakable message: many would rather cast their ballots for moderate Democrats than back the slate championed by appointed Republican Executive Committee (REC) Chairman Mark Flanagan. Flanagan was installed after the state party stepped in and removed our elected local party leaders.

Rather than building a broad coalition, Flanagan exemplifies a brand of politics disconnected from the majority of mainstream, moderate Republicans. Disagree with him, and you are immediately labeled a “socialist” or a “leftist.” Hurling schoolyard insults at fellow Republicans does not demonstrate strength; it demonstrates a profound lack of character and leadership.

I was elected to the Manatee County Commission in 1990 as a 33-year-old Republican and served our community for 22 years. I first ran in 1988, so I have participated in local civic life for nearly four decades. Never in that time have I witnessed what we are seeing today: sitting Republican leaders openly endorsing moderate Democrats.

That shift is not an accident. Republican County Commissioner George Kruse has stepped forward to endorse David Jolly for Governor and Kelly Kirschner for Congress. Former Congressman Dan Miller—one of the most disciplined fiscal conservatives our area has ever sent to Washington—has also endorsed both Jolly and Kirschner.

They are not alone. Republican County Commissioners like Dr. Bob McCann have similarly broken ranks to support candidates like Charles Smith, recognizing that sound governance and community welfare outweigh blind partisan loyalty. He explained, “Kelly Kirschner, Reggie Bellamy, and Charles Smith represent the fresh vision, independent judgment, and leadership our local governance desperately needs right now.”

Flanagan’s combative style—attacking dedicated Republicans who insisted on holding developers accountable and demanding adequate impact fees for roads, parks, and basic infrastructure - proves he is incapable of leading a united party.

Manatee County Republicans think for themselves. They understand that ideological extremism and uncontrolled sprawl—which chokes our roads and strains our taxpayers—do not serve the public interest. Candidates running closer to the center reflect this community far better than the REC's handpicked leadership.

True conservatism means being responsible stewards of our resources, and voters are ready to hold accountable those who have driven up costs and compromised our quality of life. Republicans, unfortunately, are to blame, and as a Republican, I already voted for Kelly Kirschner, Reggie Bellamy, and Jolly. 

Joe McClash is the publisher of The Bradenton Times, a Marine Corps veteran, and a former Manatee County commissioner who served for 22 years as a Republican.