Photos: George Kruse, Kevin Van Ostenbridge

George Kruse and Kevin Van Ostenbridge both won election to the Manatee County Commission as perceived allies., a new breed of staunch conservatives taking the county. But now the two face each other is a head-to-head Republican Primary for the same countywide seat.

Van Ostenbridge decided to challenge Kruse for his at-large seat this year rather than run for re-election to his District 3 spot on the commission. He said he made that decision after successfully raising more money than anyone ever had in pursuit of a Manatee County Commission seat. Through Aug.15, he raised $239,000 to Kruse’s $67,000.

“That afforded me the opportunity to replace the most liberal member of the County Commission,” Van Ostenbridge said.

Kruse said he and Van Ostenbridge likely agree on a majority of issues as Republicans, but that he isn’t controlled by special interests. That means the two have voted differently on issues like development applications and preserving county wetlands. He criticized his opponent as more interested in personal power than public service.

“He gets upset at dissension and wants to have six people who bow and do what he says,” Kruse said. “Right now he has five people who are scared of the people behind Kevin.”

The dynamic of the board has notably changed in the last two years. Kruse during his first two years in office often served as a swing vote on decisions like changing county administrators and key growth management votes. But a wave election in 2022 saw the commission’s only Democrat and two moderate Republicans turned out of office. Since then, Kruse often has been on the short end of multiple 6-1 votes.

Van Ostenbridge said he has an agenda over the next four years that will be more effective with a solidly conservative board. “I look forward to lowering taxes again and building roads to reduce traffic congestion,” he said.

Kruse said improving infrastructure will be accomplished better by appropriately raising impact fees to tie the cost of growth to building permits pulled in the county. He said the rare chance for voters to decide between two sitting commissioners with a four-year voting record gives the chance to decide exactly how the public wants to move forward with governance.

“I’m confident 98% of informed voters are on my side; I think that’s being conservative,” he said. “The other side is entirely based on uninformed, low-information suckers conned by half-truths, lies and unethical tactics to convince them to vote against their interest.”

Kruse and Van Ostenbridge are running for the District 7 at-large seat, the only countywide commission seat on the ballot this year. The Republican primary vote on Tuesday is only open to Republicans, with the winner advancing to face Democrat Sari Lindrose-Valimaki and a write-in candidate in November.

In addition to the at-large race, three other district-level county commission races are taking place on Tuesday. Carol Ann Felts and Steve Metallo are running in a Republican Primary in District 1. April Culbreath and Tal Siddique vie for the Republican nomination in District 3. Robert McCann is challenging appointed incumbent Commissioner Raymond Turner in a GOP Primary in District 5.

That leaves the at-large race as the only one putting candidates who won election in the past on the ballot.

Photos: George Kruse, Kevin Van Ostenbridge