Jacob Ogles
The most expensive Manatee County Commission race in history should effectively wrap up this week.
Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, now a District 3 Commissioner, decided to challenge at-large County Commissioner George Kruse this year instead of running again for his old seat. The two now face each other in an Aug. 20 Republican Primary.
The Bradenton Republican said he made that decision after fundraising efforts for his re-election massively exceeded expectations. He broke all fundraising records for a county race in July of last year. Through Aug. 9, he had spent nearly $204,000 running countywide.
“I was afforded the opportunity because I received such a tremendous amount of support,” he said. “That afforded me the opportunity to replace the most liberal member of the County Commission.”
Kruse predictably scoffs at that characterization. The real estate finance professional has run on a platform of “common sense conservative values.” The incumbent has spent more than $66,000, and said he has wanted only to contrast the Commissioners’ voting records over the course of the race.
“My campaign was based on fact and policy,” he said. “I thought we had a unique opportunity where if both sides were ethical, we could have just compared notes, because we both had a voting record. Instead of TV ads, endless mailers and flat out lies, we could have just said Kevin Van Ostenbridge wanted to gut wetlands for developers, while George Kruse voted against that.”
Both acknowledge that Kruse, at least since the 2022 election brought the ouster of the County Commission’s only Democrat and two moderate Republicans, has often stood as the lone dissenter on 6-1 votes about proposed developments, land conservation and other issues.
Kruse said he wants to see an increase in development impact fees to ease the impact of growth on infrastructure. Van Ostenbridge said he wants to see wider roads to reduce traffic, but would like to continue cutting taxes.
“Voters have a stark difference between the two candidates,” Van Ostenbridge said. “I am, in my opinion, the most conservative candidate on the ballot in any of our Commission races. And I’m running against one of the most liberal candidates. I look forward to lowering taxes again and building roads to reduce traffic congestion.”
Kruse, meanwhile, is counting on voters growing tired of the negative campaigning. The race is notable in part because Kruse four years ago used the same political consultant as Van Ostenbridge, namely Sim Wins founder Anthony Pedicini. But he believes voters have grown weary of the divisive and negative campaigning in the county the last four years.
“I’m sure (developer Carlos) Beruff and Anthony are sitting down other candidates and saying, ‘You can be like Kevin and get half a million dollars in your campaign,’or you can be like George Kruse and see your face on a mobile U-Haul going around town.’ But I am an adult and I’m willing to speak to people in a professional and decent manner even if they disagree with me.”
Additionally, Manatee County Republican Primary voters will choose between Carl Ann Felts and Steve Metallo in District 1, April Culbreath and Tal Siddique in District 3, and Robert McCann and Raymond Turner in District 5.
