MANATEE — It’s likely to be the haves against the have-nots for two Manatee County Commission seats in the November general election.
And that may not be such good news for the haves.
That’s because for at least for one election, the votes did not automatically follow the money Tuesday in the primary races for county commission seats.
Democrat Michael Gallen defeated longtime Commissioner Gwen Brown in District 2 despite being outspent by $13,000. And in the Republican primary, Robin DiSabatino held a more than 4-to-1 spending lead over her nearest competitor but won only a narrow victory over opponents Norm Luppino and Tim Norwood in a District 4 contest.
Democrats Roger C. Galle and Sundae Lynn Knight hope that trend continues Nov. 2 when they face Republicans DiSabatino and incumbent Commissioner Carol Whitmore, respectively.
DiSabatino, a 57-year-old Realtor, still has more than $40,000 in her coffers after spending $76,865.16 to win the primary. Galle, a 56-year-old who owns a commercial painting business, has raised $3,355 so far.
“My theory is to try to do it the Lawton Chiles way,” Galle said. “The more people you can talk to, the more you can get your message out. I don’t like mailers, and I don’t like phone calls.”
DiSabatino said her primary victory was a result of a strategy that targeted absentee and early voters, not a spending advantage.
According to Galle, the District 4 general election will lack the negative campaigning of other races.
“I became friendly with the Republicans,” he said of the three primary contestants. “I’m not an attack kind of person.”
Whitmore, a 55-year-old Holmes Beach mayor and commissioner, and Knight, a 39-year-old civil engineer who works for Sarasota County, are seeking the District 6 at-large seat.
Whitmore has raised $75,135 to retain the seat she won in 2006. Knight has collected just $2,357.
But the incumbent is prepared for a battle.
“I’ve been thinking about it since last year,” Whitmore said. “I don’t take anything for granted. I’ve committed to this job full-time. I’m not a commissioner who comes into the meetings and collects a paycheck.”
Knight was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Whitmore said Knight has portrayed her as a career politician during debates. But she said she kept her nurse’s job even while she was a commissioner and mayor.
“As a city commissioner, I made $300 per month, and as mayor I made $700 per month. Public service has never been about the money for me,” she said.
