Manatee County leaders show support for Congressman Vern Buchanan in new campaign ad
Local leaders are voicing their support for Congressman Vern Buchanan’s re-election bid in a new campaign advertisement released Tuesday morning.
Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston and at-large County Commissioner Carol Whitmore both speak highly of Buchanan in the nearly 4-minute ad that is set to appear online only.
“He’s not a ceremonial congressman. He’s a working congressman,” Poston said. “You have to be concerned first and foremost about your community and not yourself. Vern sees that.”
“Vern gets it done. He actually represents his district. Some say they do, but he actually does,” Whitmore added.
It’s the second campaign advertisement that Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, has released in the past two weeks. The first featured Army Spc. Nicholas Panipinto’s family, who thanked Buchanan for his effort to demand answers about the military training accident that killed the Bradenton soldier last November.
The newest ad also discusses some of Buchanan’s childhood memories. As a teenager, his father taught him the importance of hard work. Those lessons translated into the 22 bills Buchanan has gotten signed into law since he was elected in 2006, he said.
“Most of these ideas come from them and I try to run with it and make a difference up there,” said Buchanan, referring to bills that have been signed into law by three different presidents. “There’s many people who have been on the Hill for 20 years and haven’t gotten one bill or maybe one bill done. We’ve got 22. I’m very proud of that.”
“It can’t be about partisan politics. I take a different mindset. I’m interested in getting things done,” Buchanan said in the ad. “I’m in a good position to do that and I can continue to deliver in a big way. It’s all about the people I represent.”
Buchanan’s opponent, state Rep. Margaret Good, D-Sarasota, released her own 30-second ad last week, as well, focusing on a record of bipartisanship.
Both candidates are running to represent Florida’s 16th Congressional District, which includes Manatee and parts of Sarasota and Hillsborough counties. The General Election is Nov. 3.
