Democrat Mike Cosentino has often waged fights with county government in the courthouse. Now he’s tacking the battle to the ballot box.

“My no. 1 goal is to actually bring back the rule of law,” he said. “Right now we have the rule of county government by and for developers.”

Cosentino first gained prominence in the region fighting to keep public access on Beach Road, a land-use matter ultimately dismissed by the circuit courts. Looking back at the matter, Cosentino feels frustrated by a judicial system where many lawyers were appointed to positions after working on land-use issues directly with politically influential developers.

“I learned this through litigating with the county,” Cosentino said. “Most mistakenly assume taxpayer-funded public county attorneys advocate for truth, justice and the rule of law. Nothing could be further from the truth. They advocate for their client, and that’s the county commission, which will bend the rule of law for (developers) Carlos Beruff or Pat Neal or Rex Jensen or Randy Benderson.”

He rattles off the names of the industry executives behind major projects throughout the Sarasota-Bradenton area who happen also to be involved politically in Republican politics, though he noted one of his Democratic opponents, Sarasota City Commissioner Hagen Brody, is working with individuals closely associated with Neal. He also faces former Sarasota Mayor Fredd Atkins in a Democratic primary.

Cosentino followed his fight over Beach Road with a 2018 county commission run. He lost in a primary that year, when county commission contests were still voted on county-wide. This year, Sarasota County District 2 voters for the first time in decades will elect a commissioner through a single-member district election.

“It finally gives a chance to a guy like me, a grassroots candidate,” Cosentino said. “It somewhat levels the playing field.”

As an experienced campaigner, he also is enjoying success raising money. A $35,000 contribution to his own campaign still makes the bulk of donations, but through June he reported a total of $45,913 raised for the race. By comparison, Brody has $60,863 and Atkins $16,628.

While highly critical of his Democratic opponents, Cosentino actually speaks well of one Republican opponent, Lourdes Ramirez. The two have both waged legal fights against the county over planning decisions. Cosentino maintains the law requires greater compliance with the county comprehensive plan than demonstrated by any of the sitting members of the county commission.

His primary focus if elected, he said, will be restoring compliance with existing law. While he’s frustrated by the legal system, none of it will matter if a commissioner simply starts demanding at the dais that planning decisions comply with the law from the start.

“The people have not had a voice,” he said. “That’s what I am. I am their voice and I have their back.”