‘Voters deserve more.’ Manatee commissioner eyed federal job after election win

A newly elected Manatee County commissioner sought a job in President Donald Trump’s administration shortly after his own Election Day victory.

Commissioner Bob McCann applied for one of the most prestigious and high-ranking jobs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. His application followed news that Trump captured the presidency — and that McCann would serve his own four-year term on the Manatee County Commission.

McCann had not publicly announced his interest in that job, which, if he were appointed, would almost certainly require his resignation from the board. He confirmed his application in response to a series of public record requests by the Bradenton Herald.

Reached for comment, government watchdogs and political science experts criticized McCann’s effort to seek another job within weeks of his election to public office. They also questioned the actions of a commissioner who pledged to put voters first and prioritize government transparency.

In November, McCann and several other political newcomers ushered in a new era on the Manatee County Commission as voters elected a slate of candidates who promised to push back against developer interests.

If McCann earned the HHS job, Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appointed a commissioner with building industry connections to the board in 2023, would be allowed to install a replacement to serve until the next general election.

McCann, a Republican, trounced his Election Day opponent, easily winning the race by more than 25,000 votes.

McCann defends bid for HHS job

The Lakewood Ranch-based commissioner said he applied to become the assistant secretary at HHS. The role is appointed by the president and serves as the top advisor to the HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

According to the Center for Presidential Transition, the assistant secretary is the secretary’s primary advisor on several key issues, including public health, vaccine programs and reducing health disparities. The assistant secretary oversees 10 public health offices, including the Office of the Surgeon General and U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, as well as regional offices and presidential advisory committees.

McCann represents District 5, which includes parts of Lakewood Ranch and East Bradenton. In an interview with the Bradenton Herald, he defended his decision to apply for the job less than six months after voters elected him.

“It’s a four-star admiral in charge of the HHS,” said McCann, who added that he has applied for top government health positions in the past, including surgeon general.

Rumors have swirled about McCann’s interest in a federal government job in recent weeks. McCann has not attended a public meeting since early February, instead opting to participate in board discussions by phone.

He said his pursuit of the HHS job is not the reason for his absence.

“I’ve spent eight weeks with the shingles on my face and on my head,” McCann said. McCann said he has been dealing with severe pain and other symptoms from the illness.

McCann said he plans to attend the next commission meeting, scheduled for May 6, if he gets approval from his doctor.

Commissioner pursues top government health job

HHS, the federal agency that oversees Medicare, Medicaid and other government public health programs, has a $1.8 trillion budget and over 80,000 employees.

McCann, 67, is a newcomer to elected office. He ran unsuccessful campaigns for the Florida House in 2010 and 2012. A Navy veteran and retired lawyer and osteopathic doctor, he is a past president of the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine.

McCann’s candidate biography does not appear to include high-level experience with a large healthcare agency. Past assistant health secretaries typically had experience as state health secretaries or health department heads before assuming the federal role.

In March, President Trump nominated Brian Christine, a urologist from Mountain Brook, Alabama, to fill the assistant secretary role at HHS. Christine donated more than $8,500 to Trump’s 2024 election campaign, AL.com reported.

Christine has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. He specializes in “men’s sexual health,” including penis implant surgeries and surgeries to correct penis curvature, his bio says. He previously hosted a YouTube series called “The Erection Connection.”

Commissioners react to McCann’s federal job application

“I think that it’s a free country,” Commissioner Carol Ann Felts said. “If you have aspirations to serve, I think that you should take advantage of any opportunity that speaks to you. There’s so few people that are willing to put their hat in the ring.”

Other board members had little to say after learning of McCann’s interest in the HHS job.

Commissioners George Kruse, Tal Siddique, Amanda Ballard and Mike Rahn declined to comment. Commissioner Jason Bearden did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Critics say McCann’s actions unfair to voters

Michael Barfield, Director of Public Access for the Florida Center for Government Accountability, argues that McCann should have let voters know that he was applying for the HHS position.

“It’s not very transparent with the voters who elected him just a few months ago … to not square with them about what he was doing,” Barfield said. “That’s not kosher. Voters deserve more.”

J. Edwin Benton, a professor of political science and public administration at the University of South Florida, described McCann’s actions as “selfish and unfair” to voters.

“Every person has a right to better themselves,” Benton said. “But at the same time, you have an obligation to the constituents that elected you to be there and to represent their interests. Why did you run for office if you aren’t truly dedicated to it?”

“I would be angry if he was my representative,” Benton added. “He’s looking for bigger bucks, more power, more prestige. That’s not what we want in public servants. He needs to either resign or do his job.”

Joe Di Bartolomeo, who lost his race as an independent candidate against McCann in November, said he is disappointed in the first-term commissioner.

“This isn’t sour grapes. If the guy was competent and he was focused, I would be behind him. But he doesn’t talk to his constituents. He doesn’t go to meetings,” Di Bartolomeo said. “It looks to me like the commission is a sort of stepping stone to add to his resume.”

What would happen if McCann left the board?

McCann’s campaign promises included being a voice for residents who would put government transparency front and center. He also said he would work to slow rapid development in Manatee County that is unpopular with many residents.

“I see the commissioner’s job as public service,” McCann told the Bradenton Herald while on the campaign trail in October. “I want to bring the agenda out to the people so they can tell me how they want me to vote.”

Items that McCann has supported so far include reinstating local wetland protections, expanding the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch and ending a controversial school zone speeding ticket program. He has also advocated for a development moratorium, but the idea has not gained a majority of the board’s support.

When Commissioner Vanessa Baugh resigned from the board in 2023, DeSantis appointed Raymond Turner, a real estate broker who pushed for more housing development in Manatee County. When Commissioner James Satcher resigned in 2024 to take the job of Supervisor of Elections, his seat went unfilled until the next election.

McCann’s four-year term is set to expire in November 2028.

“I’m not going anywhere,” McCann said.

This story was originally published April 28, 2025 at 5:50 AM.