MANATEE — Manatee County Commissioner-elect Michael Gallen will be able to deliver a first-person lecture on the political process to his Lakewood Ranch High American government class today.

Gallen, a 36-year-old teacher and attorney, will tell his students how a political newcomer with an established family name can knock off an entrenched incumbent despite being outspent by a wide margin.

Gallen eased his way past Commissioner Gwen Brown on Tuesday night in the District 2 primary, collecting 3,606 votes, or 55.9 percent, to the incumbent’s 2,845 votes, or 44.1 percent. Because the two Democrats were the only candidates running, Gallen will claim the District 2 seat in 2011.

“Tomorrow, I’ll kind of open the book of how everything played out. That’ll be fun for me to do,” Gallen said early Tuesday night while enjoying a family party at the northwest Bradenton home of his father, Circuit Court Judge Tom Gallen.

In the District 4 Republican primary, 57-year-old Realtor Robin DiSabatino rode a large advantage in campaign fundraising to a tight victory over Norm Luppino and Tim Norwood. DiSabatino got 1,624 votes, good for 36.4 percent, to Luppino’s 1,462 votes (32.8 percent) and Norwood’s 1,370 votes (30.7 percent).

DiSabatino will face Democrat Roger C. Galle in the Nov. 2 general election. The winner will fill the seat being vacated by Ron Getman.

“I knew it was going to be a very tight race,” DiSabatino said. “We were all three very different, and we all three had our strong points.”

County commissioners serve four-year terms and earn $74,764 per year.

Gallen, once an attorney for the Florida Legislature and Florida Department of Environmental Protection, said the District 2 result did not surprise him.

“We worked really hard. Our campaign was diligent, efficient, and I had such hard workers and supporters,” Gallen said. “There’s a lot of people that just wanted something new. Throughout the campaign, knocking on doors, I met thousands of people and I felt they wanted a change in District 2 to address the issues of jobs and crime.”

Brown, the county’s first black commissioner who was first elected in 1994, said the result did not come as a shock to her, either. She said complacency among her supporters and the all-day rains may have swayed the vote toward Gallen.

“When you have folks telling you you’re going to win, I don’t think they took the seriousness of it and got out to the polls,” she said.

Brown outspent Gallen $32,222.47 to $19,612.99, according to final campaign finance reports.

The 58-year-old Brown said she is proud of the legacy she leaves on the commission, particularly the improvements to Pride Park and recent road work on 17th Street in Palmetto.

“At the moment, I’m doing OK,” Brown said from her campaign party at Palmetto’s Mangrove Grill. “It’s just that I recognize there’s a time for everything. If that’s what God wanted me to do, I would have won.”

DiSabatino, who spent $76,865.16 on her campaign, enjoyed a huge financing advantage over Luppino ($16,589.60) and Norwood ($2,270.65).

But she said the spending edge told only part of the story. She stressed neighborhood issues, jobs and tax cuts while door-to-door campaigning.

“I would say that I walked my feet off,” she said. “I went door to door at 4,000 houses and spoke to 2,500 people. The money was nice, but I worked hard.”

Norwood, a 48-year-old manufacturing engineer who stressed job creation above all else, was pleased with his showing and said it may spur him to run for office again.

“I did this with nearly no cash,” Norwood said. “I think I did fantastic. ... I’m really disappointed I’m not going to be able to do what I wanted to do, but I think I did well.”

Luppino, who touted his experience in the county planning department, said the low voter turnout could have played a role in his defeat. He said his supporters had mobilized at polling places for one final push.

“She (DiSabatino) had the most name recognition. Our strategy was to hit the polling places, but they just didn’t show up,” Luppino said.

Gallen said he will step down from his teaching position after the holidays to become a full-time commissioner.