Republican rivals Kruse, Van Ostenbridge clash for Manatee District 7 commission seat

Commissioners Kevin Van Ostenbridge and George Kruse will vie to represent Manatee County Republicans in the race for an at-large commission seat in the Aug. 20 primary election.

Both commissioners were elected to their first terms in 2020 in a conservative wave of votes that shifted Manatee County’s top governing body farther to the political right. Together they voted to oust former County Administrator Cheri Coryea in what marked the beginning of a major shakeup in county administration and staff.

While Van Ostenbridge and Kruse started as seeming political allies, they’ve since become rivals who frequently clash on the dais.

Kruse holds the District 7 seat, one of two at-large commission seats that represent the entire county. Van Ostenbridge currently represents District 3, which includes Anna Maria Island, part of Bradenton and the Palma Sola and Terra Ceia areas.

But in May, Van Ostenbridge made a surprise switch to the countywide race for at-large commissioner to attempt knocking Kruse off the board.

Van Ostenbridge’s campaign has since launched a wave of attacks against Kruse that paint him as a “liberal” and “fake Republican,” among other claims. Kruse has denied those accusations and says that he is being smeared because developer interests want him off the board.

Manatee rivals clash for District 7 seat

All of the sitting county commissioners have in the past used or are currently using political consultant Anthony Pedicini and his Hillsborough County-based consulting firm, Strategic Image Management (SIMWINS) in their efforts to get elected.

The consulting firm has stirred controversy for its use of so-called “dark money” to fund campaign efforts and sensational attack ads. But candidates represented by the firm have a high rate of election success.

Kruse is the only sitting commissioner who has publicly cut ties with SIMWINS. More recently, several of his motions and policy ideas have failed to find support from fellow commissioners, and he has been the sole opposition vote on several controversial issues.

Van Ostenbridge has supported building a parking garage on Anna Maria Island, reducing Manatee County’s wetland buffers in favor of building rights and allowing the development of East River Ranch beyond the county’s Future Development Area Boundary — all issues Kruse has opposed.

Meanwhile, Kruse has supported collecting maximum impact fees from developers and tried to bring back public call-in comments during board meetings that Van Ostenbridge eliminated during his tenure as board chairman.

Kruse has accused the rest of the commission of voting as a bloc in favor of special interests and losing sight of what residents want.

“We need to readjust this board’s focus back to the people,” Kruse said. “That’s one of my priorities, is trying to get this board listening to the people again.”

But Van Ostenbridge says his voting record shows that residents can trust where he will land on issues.

“I always lean more conservative,” Van Ostenbridge said. “I think that’s what sets me apart.”

First term controversies

Both commissioners’ first terms had their share of controversy.

In 2021, Kruse and Van Ostenbridge were among four commissioners named in a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation that questioned whether they violated the Sunshine Law by planning the removal of then-County Administrator Cheri Coryea. However, investigators found no evidence of wrongdoing.

Also in 2021, Kruse admitted to an extramarital affair and apologized during a public meeting after he said another commissioner had obtained pictures that he feared would be used against him.

In April 2022, Kruse crashed his truck into a tree in his neighborhood and was captured in body camera footage disheveled and slurring his words. A DUI charge followed, but the State Attorney’s Office later dropped the case because the responding deputy did not perform a sobriety test.

In September 2022, Van Ostenbridge was captured on camera removing a bougainvillea plant from a private lot in Bradenton. Van Ostenbridge returned the plant the next day, but the owner pressed charges. Van Ostenbridge struck a deal with the State Attorney’s Office that included 25 hours of community service and avoided the charges.

In May of 2023, Manatee’s Clerk of the Court Angel Colonneso launched an investigation into Van Ostenbridge’s use of nearly $1,700 in taxpayer money to purchase detailed info about voters in his district for an email newsletter.

Van Ostenbridge refunded the purchase with his own money after a story about the purchase appeared in The Bradenton Times. A citizen-initiated complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics over the same purchase resulted in an investigation, but it found no evidence of “wrongful intent.”

Who is Kevin Van Ostenbridge?

Background: Van Ostenbridge is a Manatee County native and Realtor. He was first elected to the commission in 2020 and previously served as chairman.

First-term achievements: Van Ostenbridge told the Bradenton Herald that his proudest achievements from his first term in office include cutting taxes, the overhaul of G.T. Bray Park in West Bradenton and prioritizing traffic upgrades in Manatee County.

“We put hundreds of millions of dollars towards transportation infrastructure in an effort to relieve traffic congestion in the county,” Van Ostenbridge said. “It’s a process that had not even begun when I got elected. We made it a top priority and got the ball rolling, and in the next couple of months, we’ll see dirt turning on major projects.”

Van Ostenbridge also argued that he’s helped bring about positive internal change in county government.

“When I first got elected, I immediately started the process of changing the culture and ensuring that the county runs more like a business and less like a government,” Van Ostenbridge said. “I think we’ve come a long way.”

Goals for a second term: Van Ostenbridge said his top goals for a second term include further cutting local taxes, continuing work on infrastructure improvements and making Manatee County more affordable for residents.

“Inflation and the border have been the story of Joe Biden’s presidency, and those are two things that are affecting people in Manatee County,” Van Ostenbridge said. “I really want to focus next year on zeroing down on ways we can locally target affordability and the cost of living for our residents. Tax cuts are probably the first thing on the list.”

He said more affordable housing will also be a focus.

“We got a good number of units accomplished in my first term. But there are a lot of people here, and prices are soaring. What we did just scratched the surface,” Van Ostenbridge said.

Message to voters: “Of the two options, I am the only true conservative,” Van Ostenbridge said. “I am a staunch Trump supporter and America-first Republican. While I may deliver the message in a very direct way, I’m always honest and straightforward about where I stand on issues. I always lean more conservative. I think that’s what sets me apart. I’m light years more conservative than (Kruse) is.”

Campaign funds and backers: Van Ostenbridge has raised a record-breaking $236,000 in campaign funds. Much of the war chest is made up of maximum $1,000 donations from businesses. Contributors include local home builders, developers, engineers, real estate and agriculture businesses, political committees and individuals.

On July 30, Van Ostenbridge shared an announcement that he has been endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Who is George Kruse?

Background: George Kruse grew up in Sarasota County and works in commercial real estate finance. He was first elected in 2020 and previously served as chairman of the Manatee County Port Authority.

First-term achievements: Kruse told the Bradenton Herald that his proudest achievements from his first term in office include efforts to establish housing for Manatee County’s workforce and homeless veterans as well as infrastructure and transportation upgrades.

“We’ve made big strides into facilitating workforce housing, affordable housing for our teachers, first responders, young employees and senior citizens,” Kruse said. “And we’ve done a lot of that in ways that did not require tax dollars. We gave people more ability to use their private property to build housing that this community needs.”

“Last month I was able to watch a groundbreaking for what’s going to be a transformative project for Manatee County veterans,” Kruse said of the Tunnel to Towers housing project for homeless veterans that he helped spearhead.

Kruse also highlighted his efforts to re-energize the county’s long-planned recreational trail system and other transportation initiatives.

“Everyone has always wanted to focus on widening roads and paving over more green space to provide more housing. Nobody was focusing on multimodal transportation. Now we’re starting to see a lot more creative ideas to keep people off of the road,” Kruse said.

Goals for a second term: Kruse said his top goals for a second term include tightening Manatee County’s budget, creating incentives for “smart development” and refocusing the board’s attention on what residents want.

“Number one, we need to readjust this board’s focus back to the people,” Kruse said. “I started doing town halls over a year and a half ago, and I’ve learned a lot from them. I’ve brought things from those town halls to the board for action. I think we need to have leadership on this board that is going to put the people first.”

Kruse said he will also continue to oppose the expansion of the county’s Future Development Area Boundary (FDAB) and promote redevelopment initiatives.

“We need to continue working within the Comprehensive Plan and the Land Development Code to create better incentives for development to encourage this growth where it’s supposed to be,” Kruse said. “We can’t just continue allowing it to go further and further out east and up north.”

Kruse also argued that some parts of Manatee County’s government have grown too much while others, like Animal Welfare and permitting departments, are under-resourced.

“We really need to fix what we’re doing with our budget,” Kruse said. “Considering this board is supposed to be a fiscally conservative, small government board, our budget and our total government have gotten very bloated.”

Message to voters: “The number one reason people should vote for me is because I actually care about them,” Kruse said. “I actually give them a voice. I may not agree with them, but I let them speak their opinion, and I‘m considerate about it. And you don’t see that with a lot of the other people on the board. Every now and then, I don’t care what party you are, you come up with a good idea. And I try to act on those good ideas, regardless of who it is.”

“Don’t trust mailers and text messages,” Kruse added. “Do some research to see if what you’re being told is true or a flat-out lie.”

Campaign funds and backers: Kruse has raised over $58,000 in campaign funds. Contributors include local real estate, development and agriculture businesses as well as many small donations from individuals.

What happens next?

The winner of the Republican primary will face Democratic candidate Sari A. Lindroos-Valimaki in the Nov. 5. general election.

This story was originally published August 15, 2024 at 5:50 AM.