Satcher returned $2,600 in donations after he was appointed elections supervisor
Refunds shrink Satcher's financial lead over GOP challenger Scott Farrington. Satcher has not reported any new donations since taking over elections office.
Manatee County Elections Supervisor James Satcher returned a total of almost $2,600 to three donors who had earlier contributed to him when he was running for re-election to the county commission.
That amounts to about 3.6% of the $70,500 he had raised for his commissioner campaign. Satcher was allowed to transfer the contributions to his election supervisor campaign. However, state election rules required him to offer a prorated refund to his donors after he switched races.
Refunds of $866.31 each were paid to Bradenton developer Whiting Preston; and to Barrington Group, a Sarasota-based apartment developer and a related limited liability corporation, according to campaign records for financial activity between June 1 and June 14 filed with the county elections office.
The refunds shrank Satcher’s fundraising lead over Scott Farrington, his challenger in the Republican primary.
The refunds lowered Satcher’s contribution total to $67,901.07. He did not report any new donations in the first two weeks of June.
Farrington reported $3,275 in new contributions, raising his total to a little more than $59,265.
If you consider what Sacher and Farrington have spent on their respective campaigns, Farrington is actually in a slightly better position.
As of June, 14, Farrington had spent $5,554.10, leaving him with $53,710.90 in his campaign account.
Satcher had spent $19,542.26, leaving him with $48,358.81. More than half of what he had spent — $10,113.78 — was for his ballot filing fee.
Farrington did not have to pay a filing fee after he submitted an adequate number of petition signature to qualify for the ballot.
Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Satcher to the elections supervisor job in April, after Mike Bennett retired. Farrington was Bennett’s longtime chief deputy.\
Other races
Here’s a look at the latest campaign finance reports for candidates running for county government positions, as of June 14, except for where noted.
Property appraiser
Republican incumbent Charlie Hackney reported raising $6,200 between June 14 and June 28, raising the total he has raised to $58,800 since Oct. 1. He has spent $14,178.61, including $10,113.78 to qualify for the ballot, leaving him with about $44,600 in the bank.
His GOP challenger, Darrin George has raised $11,036, almost all of which went toward paying the qualifying fee.
In other news in the race, a write-in candidate has withdrawn so, the election on Aug. 20 will be an open primary, meaning registered Democrats and independents will be able to vote for either candidate.
County commission, District 7
Incumbent George Kruse raised just less than $6,100 between June 1 and June 14, bringing his total raised this election cycle to $49,025.05. He has spent $21,042.80 — including $5,924.58 to qualify for the ballot — leaving him with just under $28,000 in the bank.
District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, who is challenging Kruse in the GOP primary for the at-large District 7 seat, reported receiving $9,516.40 in contributions between June 1 and June 14, bring his total raised this cycle to $234,294.12.
Van Ostenbridge has spent a total of $24,783.79, which includes the filing fee, leaving him with just under $210,000 in the bank.
The winner of the primary will face Democrat Sari A. Lindroos-Valimaki. Between June 1 and June 14, she reported $7,462.26 in contributions — including $6,500 she loaned her campaign. She has raised a total of $10,208.15 and spent $8,941.03, which includes the filing fee, leaving her with about.
A write-in candidate who has qualified for the general election has not reported any campaign-related financial activity.
County commission, District 1
Republicans
Carol Felts
Total contributions: $12,512.86
Total spending: $9,375.34
In the bank: $3,137.52
Steve Metallo
Total contributions: $64,555
Total spending: $6,063.08
In the bank: $58,491.92
Democrat
Glenn Pearson
Total contributions: $8,532.42
Total spending: $6,499.21
In the bank: $2,033.21
No-party affiliation
Jennifer Hamey
Total contributions: $11,482.02
Total spending: $1,619.27
In the bank: $9,862.75
County Commission, District 3
Republicans
April Culbreath
Total contributions: $53,993
Total spending: $7,764.97
In the bank: $46,228.03
Tal Siddique
Total contributions: $35,678
Total spending: $24,109.55
In the bank: $11,568.45
Democrat
Diana Shoemaker (as of June 28)
Total contributions: $36,314
Total spending: $12,182.98
In the bank: $24,131.02
County Commission, District 5
Republicans
Robert McCann
Total contributions: $23,047.33
Total spending: $12,614.44
In the bank: $10,432,89
Raymond Turner (incumbent)
Total contributions: $59,920
Total spending: $10,814.55
In the bank: $49,105.45
No-party affiliation
Joseph Di Bartolomeo
Total contributions: $6,175
Total spending: $1,639.94
In the bank: $4,535,06
Contribution amounts do not include in-kind donations. To see the candidate’s full campaign finance reports, visit the supervisor of elections website.
Previous coverage
Marc R. Masferrer, previously a newspaper and digital editor in Bradenton for more than 16 years and a journalist for more than 33 years, has received multiple awards for his writing, including a first place for commentary writing in the Florida Press Club’s 2022 Excellence in Journalism Competition and a second place prize in the 2023 contest for work published in The Bradenton Journal. You can reach him at Marc.R.Masferrer@gmail.com. You can also like The Bradenton Journal on Facebook.
VOTE SCOTT FARRINGTON...END OF STORY