Satcher challenges Commissioner Trace in Manatee’s District 1 Republican primary
Republican voters will choose between two conservative candidates in the race to represent District 1 on the Manatee Board of County Commissioners.
Commissioner Priscilla Whisenant Trace is challenged by James Satcher, an evangelical pastor and anti-human trafficking activist, for the seat representing Parrish, Palmetto and parts of East Bradenton.
Satcher, who previously ran an unsuccessful campaign for Manatee County Commission against Commissioner Carol Whitmore in 2018, said he wants to bring a more conservative voice to the board, but Trace says her connection with the community makes her a stronger candidate.
Doing what’s right for residents is always Trace’s main goal, she said in an interview with the Bradenton Herald.
“I’ve always felt like I have very good communication with a lot of the citizens in District 1 and one of the reasons they vote for me and trust me is that they know I will come back and tell them exactly what’s going on,” said Trace, a lifelong Parrish resident who first was first elected to the board in 2016.
“I just really feel like I have a good understanding of the folks in the district,” she added.
But Satcher argued that he’s just as plugged into the community.
“If you want to see your neighbors and friends do well, then the government has a part in that,” Satcher said, explaining his decision to run for the seat. “Service has been a big part of my life. It’s been what I’ve chosen to do with my life. I’ve never made a decision based on where the money is but where I can provide the most help. I feel like I can help in that area and make a difference.”
If elected, Satcher said his top three priorities would be public safety, infrastructure and implementing more conservative policies at the local government level.
One of Satcher’s specific requests is to fund the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office with all of the deputies requested. In a recent debate hosted by the Bradenton Kiwanis Club, he explained that he would “defend the sheriff, not defund the sheriff.”
“I don’t like that the sheriff has to beg for his deputies when the rest of the staff aren’t having to do that. I want to approve his budget and if I can’t get it passed, I want to come as close as possible,” Satcher explained in an interview with the Bradenton Herald.
The reality is, Trace noted, that each of the county’s departments miss out on certain wish list items during budget season.
“I always think the whole thing of being a commissioner is a balance. Not one person gets everything they want. It’s all about needs and balance,” Trace explained. “If you get all the deputies, then you don’t have people to dig ditches or people to drive ambulances.”
Satcher said he understands that tough decisions have to be made but pointed out that the county has strong reserves that could be used to pay for extra projects and employees. He also suggested trimming the overall budget “by attrition” and choosing not to rehire employees when staff members retire.
In her four years on the board, Trace says she’s proud of the work the county has done to improve roads and much-needed infrastructure projects. Moving forward, Trace said she looks forward to finalizing the county’s Northwest Plan, which will provide a framework for growth near Port Manatee, and acquiring the right-of-way land needed to continue improving old roads.
Trace is also known for speaking out against developments that don’t already have the proper infrastructure in place and pushing her fellow commissioners to approve funding for road projects in her district. Like Satcher, she has also spoken out against the “government overreach” of a COVID-19 curfew and mask mandate.
The winner of the Aug. 18 primary election will advance to face Dominique Brown, a Democrat running for the seat, in the Nov. 3 General Election.
