But that proved to be no hinderance in Paul raising money in the Sarasota region and statewide in Florida.

Federal Election Commission records show of all the Republicans who ran for president this year, only Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich raised more money from Florida donors than Paul. The Texas Congressman raised $1.2 million from his supporters through March 31, FEC records show. Romney has so far raised $7.4 million. Gingrich raised about $1.6 million.

No other Republican candidate raised more than $800,000 from Florida.

And one of the best fundraising regions for Paul was Sarasota-Bradenton. Donors from zip codes in Sarasota and Bradenton gave about $87,100 to Paul’s campaign. That is nearly equal to all the donations Paul raised out of Miami-Dade, which is almost five times larger in population that Sarasota and Manatee combined.

Paul raised about $90,000 out of Miami-Dade. The Palm Beach County area was his biggest donor area, with $115,000 coming from donors there.

President Barack Obama

But financially, President Barack Obama is showing that is no detriment to raising money in the region. Federal Election Commission records show Obama is outraising Mitt Romney among Sarasota and Manatee County donors in the 2012 election cycle.

Obama has raised $445,000 from donors in the region through the first three months of 2012. Romney has raised $402,000, according to the latest FEC records.

Both campaigns have held fundraising events in Sarasota over the last 12 months. Twice Romney, relying heavily on local developer Carlos Beruff, has held fundraising events in the area. In January, first lady Michelle Obama attended a Sarasota fundraiser at the home of Sarasota’s Caren Lobo.

Mitt Romney

But there is good news for Romney beyond Sarasota and Manatee. Statewide Romney has raised $7.4 million from Florida donors, while Obama has raised $6.2 million in the state. That is significant because Obama easily outraised Republican John McCain during the 2008 election cycle in Florida. In that race, Obama raised $20 million from Florida compared to McCain’s $14 million.

McCain easily carried Manatee County in 2008, but won Sarasota County by just 211 votes. A Democrat has not carried Sarasota County since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s last election for president in 1944.

Buchanan firing back

Attorneys and staff for U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, are livid at what they say is a “fundamentally flawed” and unfair report about the congressman.

Vern Buchanan

The Office of Congressional Ethics, or OCE, released a 184-page report last week that concluded there was “substantial reason to believe” that Buchanan had tried to influence the testimony of a witness in an investigation into the Congressman related to his campaign finances.

Buchanan’s attorneys are fighting back, saying the OCE investigators misstated evidence, concealed information from them and “turned its back on its basic obligations.”

Buchanan’s high-powered Washington attorneys at the law firm of Patton Boggs are blasting the OCE publicly for mishandling the case. In a sharply-worded letter Buchanan’s camp sent to the media, Patton Boggs attorneys say the OCE is continuing a pattern of shoddy work that they have been admonished for in the past by the separate House Ethics Committee.

“The OCE staff obviously learned nothing from the Committee’s admonitions,” the letter from attorneys Robert D. Luskin, William J. McGinley and Benjamin D. Wood states.

In past cases involving U.S. Reps Sam Graves, R-Mo., and Rep. Fortney “Pete” Stark, D-Calif., the House Ethics Committee chastised the OCE for “fundamentally flawed” and “inadequate” investigations, according to the letter.

At the core of the new Buchanan report, OCE investigators say Buchanan tried to get his former business partner, Sam Kazran, to sign a false affidavit in 2008 to conceal Buchanan’s role in an illegal campaign fundraising scheme while the Federal Election Commission was reviewing the matter.

Buchanan’s attorneys have long denied Buchanan had any role in the illegal campaign donations that Kazran has admitted to arranging for Buchanan’s 2006 and 2008 campaigns.

OCE officials defended their work in a statement sent to the media.

“The OCE conducted this review, as it does all its investigations, in a manner that was thorough and professional, taking great care to abide by the letter and the spirit of our rules and procedures,” the statement says.

Buchanan, who turned 61 last week, represents all of Sarasota and most of Manatee County in the U.S. House.

Commission clash

Joe McClash

It took all of two minutes for Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash to go after Betsy Benac, his Republican opponent for re-election in their first big candidate forum of the election season.

Speaking to more than 80 people at the East Manatee Republican Club meeting Thursday, McClash, a 22-year incumbent, wasted little time trying to paint Benac as the developers’ candidate. McClash said Benac, when she worked for the engineering firm Wilson-Miller, tried to work around county rules to allow more development density than should be allowed on Bradenton Beach.

“We have a quality of life we want to protect,” McClash said.

Betsy Benac

But Benac was quick to fight back, saying that as a planner she works for more than just the interest of developers. She said she has worked with property owners and homeowners groups and wants to see a strong quality of life in Manatee County too.

“I would never do anything to harm Manatee County,” said Benac, who now works for the Benderson Development Corp. “I do believe that development is not a dirty word.”

McClash said he does not want to be negative against Benac, but it is a campaign and he has to point out why he’s a better candidate.

“I knew it was coming,” Benac said in an interview after the meeting.

Benac and McClash, both Republicans, are running for District 7, a countywide seat. The two will face off in an August 14 primary.

Though McClash is the incumbent, he’s raised just $1,500 for his campaign compared to Benac, who has raised $48,000.

Area Political Events

Tuesday

• U.S. Senate candidate Mike McCalister speaks to the Nokomis, Osprey, Venice Area Republican Club starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Nokomis Community Center, 234 Nippino Trail, Nokomis. Non-members and guests are welcome.

Thursday

• The Sarasota/Manatee Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State holds a discussion over proposed state constitutional Amendment 8. That amendment would end a prohibition on tax dollars going directly or indirectly to religious organizations. The meeting is at 10 a.m. at the Fruitville Public Library, 100 Coburn Road, Sarasota.

• New College of Florida political science professor Frank Alcock speaks to the Southeast Manatee County Democratic Club about energy issues. The meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. at the Peridia Golf and Country Club, 4950 Peridia Blvd., Bradenton. Cost for the luncheon is $15. RSVP to Paul Dain at 941-756-4050.

Friday

• Grace Nelson, wife of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, speaks to the Sarasota County Democratic Party about women’s issues starting at 5 p.m. at Sarasota Vineyard, 1528 Main Street, Sarasota. Free. For more information call 330-9400.

Saturday

• The Sarasota County Republican Party holds its monthly meeting starting at 10 a.m. at the party’s new “sub-station” at 1260 S. Tamiami Trial, Osprey.

• Retired federal judge Marvin Morse & Sarasota Chapter president of Americans United speaks to the Venice Area Democratic Club at 10:30 a.m. at Naar Hall, United Church of Christ, 620 Shamrock Blvd., Venice. Free. For more information call 492-5965 or go to www.venicedemocrats.org.

That’s because on Thursday, the Florida Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s ruling and declared Sarasota County’s term limits constitutional.

When Sarasota voters first approved term limits in 1998, it declared that commissioners who served at least 18 months of a term would be declared as having served a full four-year term in office.

Robinson was appointed to the county commission in November 2010 by then-Gov. Charlie Crist to fill an unexpired term. That gives her more than 18 months of service time, counting as a full term just like Commissioner Carolyn Mason, who was elected in 2008.

If both win re-election in November, both will be barred from running again in 2016.

Robinson said when she applied for the open county commission seat in 2010, term limits in Sarasota were considered unconsitutional.
She said she had no way of knowing it would count as a full term in office when she was appointed.

She said she’s not thinking about the future for herself right now.

“I’m just focused on the current election,” Robinson said in an interview on Friday.

North Port Democrat Jennifer Cohen has filed to challenge Robinson in 2012.

For starters, all five of the current county commissioners are now guaranteed to be out of office in four years. That type of turnover is unheard of for a county where no incumbent county commissioner has faced a serious challenge to re-election since the 1990s.

The Florida Supreme Court unanimously upheld the constitutionality of term limits for county commissioners Thursday, effectively ending Sarasota County Commissioner Jon Thaxton's bid for re-election. (Herald-Tribune Archive / April 2011)

There will be a lot more energy and competition around county commission races for years to come, said Sarasota Republican Party chairman Joe Gruters, a term limit advocate.

“This is going to bring new, fresh energy to the county commission races,” Gruters said.

Just with Thaxton likely off the ballot, Gruters is expecting a free-for-all in the Venice-based district to replace him. Former North Port city commissioner Vanessa Carusone and Venice resident William Slider are already in the race. And another five candidates could be in it before the June 8 filing deadline hits, he said.

“It’s going to be crazy,” Gruters said.

Now imagine that happening every two years as county commissioners currently in office are termed out. Two years from now, commissioners Nora Patterson and Joe Barbetta will be forced out. Then, if Carolyn Mason and Christine Robinson win re-election this year, those two would be out in the fall of 2016.

All those open seats will put county business interests, like developers, and party officials for Republicans and Democrats, in a constant candidate recruitment mode.

That is tougher than it sounds, says Bob Waechter, a former Republican Party chairman who opposes the two-term limit for commissioners. He said convincing good, qualified people to leave their chosen profession for public office is not easy.

“It’s already difficult to get good people to run,” he said.

Incumbents have been in a dominant position in the last two decades when it comes to winning commission seats. Able to raise vast amounts of money from business interests in the community, incumbents have rarely even had challengers to re-election. Thaxton, for instance, has not faced an election day opponent since winning his first race in 2000.

The power of incumbency was just too much for regular citizens to overcome if they wanted to run for the county commission, said Tramm Hudson, the former Sarasota Republican Party chairman who along with Jay Kruse and Jane Grossman led the charge for term limits back in 1998.

“This allows more people to participate,” Hudson said. “This will bring county government closer to the people.”

People who hold the power in county government certainly do not want to see change, but ultimately it will be better for the people who live in the county, Hudson said.

“That new blood will bring on new vigor and vitality,” Hudson said.

Carusone hopes to be part of that new blood. With Thaxton likely to be barred from the ballot, Carusone said she feels a candidate like herself has a much better chance of winning.

“This really is a great opportunity,” Carusone said. She said she was willing to take on Thaxton, but knew the power of incumbency would give him a huge advantage. But now, Carusone said people like her who want to see a change in the county commission will have a legitimate chance.

“This will allow for more people to get involved,” Carusone said.

Nelson is one of the Republican’s top targets in 2012 as they seek to regain the majority in the U.S. Senate.

Check out the new ad here:

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is getting scrutiny again for his mailing expenses in Congress.

Last year, we reported that Buchanan spent more than all but four members of the 435-member U.S. House on mass mailings to promote his work in Congress.

It’s a story the Washington Post subsequently followed up with their on version.

Now WTSP Channel 10 in Tampa is hitting the issue. In a report that aired on Tuesday’s 11 p.m. news, reporter Noah Pransky points out that Buchanan spent more money on taxpayer funded mailings for all of 2011 than any member of Congress in Florida.

Buchanan spent $252,000 on taxpayer-funded mass-mailings in 2011, according to the report. U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, a Democrat who represents parts of Manatee County, was also a big spender in 2011, according to the report. Castor spent $204,000 on mass mailings.

Check out that report here: http://www.wtsp.com/news/topstories/article/254561/250/INVESTIGATORS-Free-mail-for-Congress

The story comes just a week after Sarasota Democrat Keith Fitzgerald pointed out the mailing expenses in a press release to reporters.

In the press release Fitzgerald tries to use the issue as another reason voters should pick him over Buchanan in 2012.

“Congressman Buchanan continues to waste taxpayers’ money on perks and privileges for himself rather than working for Suncoast seniors and middle class families,” Fitzgerald says in the release.

Buchanan’s campaign defends the communications budget.

“Vern has made listening to his constituents a high priority,” said spokeswoman Sally Tibbetts. “He gets tremendous feedback from the people he represents.”

On Saturday, Democrats in the two counties and the rest of Florida held caucus meetings to nominate potential delegates. More than 1,500 names could ultimately be submitted to be delegates, though just 300 ultimately will go to Charlotte to see President Barack Obama accept the party nomination for re-election.

Manatee County Democrats picked: Patricia Benson, Linda Crawford, Petra Fuhrmans, Nancy Hartley, Cornelle Maxfield, Janet Mendoza, Lisa Ramirez, Delia Smith-Orth, James Dias, David Fernandez, Roderick Fetsch, Thomas Finnerty, James Golden, Lawrence Jennis, Charlie Kennedy, James Lacher, William McGrath, Eugene Mendoza, and Cole Williams.

Sarasota County Democrats picked: Mary Clupper, Patricia Coville, Norma Dayton, Joanne DeVries, Joan Donnelly, Nancy Feehan, Rita Ferrandino, Elaine Foster, Helen Magill, Marcia Smith Valerie Smith, Debbie Trice, Joseph Bessard, Henry Bright, Thomas Brommage, Frederick Raymond Hackett Moussa Ouattara and Dennis Plews.

Next, all candidates will go to a statewide convention on June 1 in Tampa to determine who will be the 300 statewide delegates for Charlotte.

Republicans have already selected their 50 delegates to their national convention, which begins in Tampa on Aug. 27. Manatee County developer Carlos Beruff and Manatee state committeewoman Peggy Simone will be the region’s two delegates. Sarasota’s Albert Joerger and Hardee County state committeeman Chet Huddleston are the alternates.

Republicans had their delegates cut in half because the Republican Party moved its primary election to Jan. 31, against national party rules.

Kathy Dent

Sarasota Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent said she is in the process of eliminating nearly 40 percent of the county’s voting precincts to save money. Many voters used to voting at a specific church or community center, will have to drive a little further to cast ballots on Election Day.

“Everybody is not going to be happy,” said Dent, a Republican.

By cutting the the 156 precincts to just 98, Dent said she is saving the county more that $100,000 for renting polling locations and hiring poll workers to staff them.

Early voting and vote-by-mail have become so popular that Dent said 60 percent of the ballots in the 2008 presidential election were cast before Election Day. Dent said with fewer voters using traditional precincts, her office has to change and adapt to new voting behaviors.

Dent said she expects to have the new voter precinct assignments out to voters in June.

She is not the only one cutting precincts. In Manatee County, Supervisor of Elections Bob Sweat cut his 127 precincts to 113 at the start of the year.

Precinct locations will not be the only thing changing in Sarasota. Dent said she is also renumbering all of the county’s voting precincts.

Dent said she hopes eventually the State Legislature will give her authority to trim precincts even further and have just 20 or so voting centers throughout the county that could take any voter regardless of where in the county they live.

Thaxton for legislature

Sarasota County Commissioner Jon Thaxton is still hoping the Florida Supreme Court will rule county commission term limits unconstitutional, allowing him to run for another four-year term in office.

Jon Thaxton

But Thaxton, a Republican, said he has had a lot of time to think about what he would do in politics, if anything, if the court goes the other way.

In an interview last week, Thaxton said one of those options he has considered is running for the Florida Legislature, particularly since the Legislature drew a House district that he said seems “tailor made” for him.

Thaxton lives in south Sarasota County and would be in a newly-drawn District 74, which is mostly south of Osprey and includes Venice, where he went to high school, and North Port.

No incumbents actually live in that new district, though state Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, has said he plans to move south to run in that district.

Thaxton said he is considering all kinds of options both in and out of politics but really wants the courts to allow him to run again for the county commission.

“I want to be a qualified candidate to run for county commission,” Thaxton said in an interview Thursday.

Thaxton said he checks the Florida Supreme Court’s website every Thursday to see if there is a ruling in the term limits case. He said he hopes a decision will come this Thursday.

In 1998, Sarasota voters passed a ballot item restricting commissioners to 8-year term limits. A lower court ruled those limits unconstitutional, but the Supreme Court is re-examining the issue in light of Broward County seeking to enact term limits.

At this point, Thaxton said he is fine either way the court rules, he just wants to know finally so he can figure out what is next for him.

If Thaxton is allowed to run again, he may not have a free pass. Two Republicans have already filed to run against him in a potential primary. William Slider of Venice and former North Port city commissioner Vanessa Carusone have also filed to run for the same county commission seat. No Democrats have filed to run for the seat.

Rooney in Manatee

While many Republicans have been blasting President Barack Obama for going too far in celebrating the killing of Osama bin Laden, U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, a Republican himself, has a different take.

Tom Rooney

“I have no problem with the president doing that,” Rooney, a Palm Beach County Republican running for a new congressional district that includes all of Charlotte and part of Manatee County.

Rooney said like many Americans, the death of bin Laden was a big deal for him and his family.

“It was a great relief for all of us,” said Rooney, a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

He said the president deserves credit for sending in Seal Team 6 to get bin Laden.

Rooney was in Lakewood Ranch on Wednesday for his first foray in Manatee County since his congressional district was redrawn to include parts of that county for the 2012 elections. Under the newly adopted plans, the 17th Congressional District will include 10 counties, including far eastern sections of Manatee County near Myakka City and all of Charlotte County.

Rooney said the 10 counties makes for a big geographical district, but one that has a lot of similarities. Most of the district has an agricultural focus that far eastern Manatee will fit in nicely with, he said.

“It’s a good fit for me,” said Rooney, who is also on the House Agriculture Committee.

Area political events

Tuesday

• The Lakewood Ranch Democratic Club holds a discussion on presidential elections since World War II with moderator Alfred Jones, who holds a Ph.D in American History from Yale. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. For more information call 704-5971.

• Republican congressional candidate Karen Harrington, who is running against U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, speaks to the Gulf Coast Republican Women Federated starting at 7 p.m. at the Laurel Oak Country Club, 2700 Gary Player Blvd., Sarasota. Cost is $25. For reservations call 356-0281.

Thursday

• Manatee County commission candidates Joe McClash and Betsy Benac speak to the East Manatee Republican Club starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Peridia Golf and Country Club. Cost of the luncheon is $15. For reservations call Diane at 739-3813 or longboatfl@aol.com. For more information about the club visit www.emanateerc.org

Saturday
• Seth Miller, executive director of the Innocence Project of Florida, speaks to the Democratic Club of Sarasota starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Laurel Oak Country Club, 2700 Gary Player Blvd., Sarasota. Cost is $23 for members, $25 for non-members.

But Thaxton, a Republican, said he’s had a lot of time to think about what he would do in politics, if anything, if the court goes the other way.

In an interview earlier today, Thaxton said one of those options he’s considered is running for the Florida Legislature, particularly since the Legislature drew a House district that he said seems “tailor made” for him.

Thaxton lives in south Sarasota County and would be in a newly-drawn District 74 that is mostly south of Osprey and includes Venice and North Port.

No incumbents actually live in that new district, though state Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, has said he plans to move south to run in that district.

Thaxton said he’s considering all kinds of options both in and out of politics but really wants the courts to allow him to run again for the county commission.

“I want to be a qualified candidate to run for county commission,” Thaxton said in an interview on Thursday.

Thaxton has been on the county commission for 12 years.

Thaxton said every Thursday he checks the Florida Supreme Court’s website to see if there is a ruling in the term limits case. And no there was no ruling this week. Thaxton said which ever way the court rules, he will be fine.

Sarasota passed a eight year term limit for county commissioners in 1998, but that was ruled unconstitutional by a lower court. But on the east coast, Broward County had term limits for its commissioners ruled constitutional by a different court. The Supreme Court now has to make a final determination for Florida.

Time is running short. Candidates have until June 4 to officially qualify to be on the ballot to run for the the county commission.

If Thaxton is allowed to run again, he may not have a free pass. Two Republicans have already filed to run against him in a potential primary. William Slider of Venice, and former North Port city commissioner Vanessa Carusone have also filed to run for the same county commission seat. No Democrats have filed to run for the seat.

“I have no problem with the president doing that,” Rooney, a Palm Beach County Republican running for a new congressional district that includes all of Charlotte and part of Manatee County.

Rooney said like many Americans, he says the death of bin Laden was a big deal for him and his family.

“It was a great relief for all of us,” said Rooney, a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

He said the president deserves credit for sending in Seal Team 6 to get bin Laden.

Rooney was in Lakewood Ranch on Wednesday for his first foray in Manatee County since his congressional district was redrawn to include parts of that county for the 2012 elections. Under the newly adopted plans, the 17th Congressional District will include 10 counties, including far eastern sections of Manatee County near Myakka City.

Rooney said the 10 counties makes for a big geographical district, but one that has a lot of similarities. Most of the district has an agricultural focus that far eastern Manatee will fit in nicely with, he said.

“It’s a good fit for me,” said Rooney, who is also on the House Agriculture Committee.

It did not look that way three months ago when the Florida Legislature first redrew his congressional district and put his Palm Beach County home in a district Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, is running for. Rooney announced in January that instead of running in that district against West, he’d run in the new 17th District because it included Charlotte and Highlands, which were in his previous district.

Rooney is new to Manatee County, but not to the west coast of Florida. Rooney has in-laws who live in Osprey and has represented Charlotte County for the last four years as part of his current congressional district.

As part of is crash course in Manatee County politics, Rooney on Wednesday met with Sheriff Brad Steube, State Rep. Greg Steube, and former state Senate president John McKay, R-Bradenton, to begin building a relationships with key players in the county.

While Rooney was meeting with Manatee County officials, it turns out his first campaign meet-and-greet with Manatee supporters was in the wrong county. The event was at a law firm in Lakewood Ranch that is south of University Parkway and technically in Sarasota County. All of Sarasota County is in the new 16th Congressional District. In that district U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, and Sarasota Democrat Keith Fitzgerald are battling to see who will represent the area.

While Rooney is the early favorite to win the 17th District, he could have a challenge in Okeechobee County school board member Joe Arnold, a Republican, who has filed to run for the seat. Arnold has loaned his campaign $4,000, Federal Election Commission records show.

Through redistricting, Rooney, a Palm Beach County Republican, was drawn into a congressional that would have pitted him against Tea Party star Allen West, a Republican.

Instead, Rooney has vowed to move to the new 17th Congressional District which includes 10 counties in central Florida and on the west coast. Parts of Hillsborough, Manatee and Charlotte county are part of the new district. Rooney has said many of the counties in his new district, like Charlotte, were in his old district.

Rooney today is in Lakewood Ranch start at 1 p.m. to meet with supporters at the law offices of Becker & Poliakoff. State Rep. Greg Steube, who is an attorney with the firm, will also be with Rooney.

Rooney’s new district includes far eastern sections in Manatee County, including Myakka City. Check out Rooney’s campaign website here.

Okeechobee County school board member Joe Arnold, a Republican, has also announced he is running for Congress. Arnold lives in the new 17th District. Here is Arnold’s website.

Though Rooney is in Lakewood Ranch, his new congressional district does not include the development community. That section of Manatee County will be in the new 16th Congressional District, which U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, and Sarasota Democrat Keith Fitzgerald are battling over.

Doug Smith, an investigative reporter for the station, said Bustle, a Republican and former Palmetto mayor, was one of a handful of military veterans that qualified for a new tax break passed by voters in 2006. That tax break is for veterans wounded in combat and permanently disabled.

Bustle told Smith in an interview he was a fighter pilot who was shot down in Vietnam. He said the injuries suffered then prevent him from lifting his arms above his shoulders.

But the tax break is raising eyebrows of state lawmakers and one of Bustle’s fellow county commissioners. In the report, commissioner Robin DiSabatino said Bustle should refuse the tax break because it is intended for veterans who are struggling to hold onto their homes.

“We are elected to public office to serve the people and are held to a higher standard,” she said. “If I weren’t able to earn a living and support myself that would be one thing, but being physically able to go to work and earn a living, that’s different.”

She’s not alone. State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, said he helped propose the idea for the tax break for disabled veterans and said it was intended to help those stuggling to hold onto their homes, not for $1 million waterfront homes.

Bustle told FOX 13 that he’s doing nothing wrong.

“I served my country and my state decided this was a valid thing to do so I’m quite happy with it,” Bustle said.

UPDATED (3:21 p.m.): In an interview with me today, Bustle said he was surprised at the FOX 13 story. He said he’s done nother wrong and simply applied for a tax break that any disabled veteran from Florida would be eligible for. He said the home they focused on so much in the story was built 15 years ago, long before he was ever elected to public office. He said he bought the property in 1987.

Check out the full story on FOX 13 here.

A seat last contested when Ronald Reagan was president, a battle centered in Lakewood Ranch and an incumbent under seige are featured in the races there.

Even the dynamics of the area’s congressional and state legislative races make Manatee County the key battle zone, though both races also include Sarasota.

“This will be probably one of the biggest elections in Manatee County in years,” said Bob Sweat, the Manatee supervisor of elections.

So much so, Sweat is worried he’ll need to have an extra long ballot for 2012 elections, and politicians are battling over fundraising venues because there are so many candidates.

The story is much different in Sarasota County, where lack of competition is the name of the game. All 10 of the incumbents for County Commission, School Board and other county offices, including sheriff, are seeking re-election. Among those, only three have drawn opposition so far.

The best race could be for County Commissioner Jon Thaxton’s seat. The Republican is being challenged by Venice’s William Slider and former North Port City Commissioner Vanessa Carusone, both Republicans.

The Florida Supreme Court is expected to rule on whether term limits for county commissioners are constitutional. If they are, Thaxton would be booted from the ballot, creating an open seat that would likely draw even more candidates.

Still, the more interesting races are shaping up to the north. Two months remain before candidate qualifying, but here is a look at six key battlefronts:

No Sweat = hot race

Manatee Supervisor of Elections, Open race

It has been 20 years since Manatee County’s last open-seat battle for a countywide constitutional office. Sweat, who announced he’s retiring at the end of the year, has held his post since 1985 — the start President Reagan’s second term.

Seven candidates have filed to run, but the race has the makings of a three-person slugfest, with state Sen. Mike Bennett, former NAACP President Edward Bailey and former County Commissioner Jane von Hahmann battling in a GOP primary on Aug. 14.

Bennett has the name recognition and the financial advantage after 10 years in the Florida Senate. But Bailey has picked up some key endorsements — including Sheriff Brad Steube’s — and is building a legitimate campaign account to challenge Bennett for the GOP nomination.

Battle for East County

District 5 Manatee County Commission, John Colon vs. Vanessa Baugh

Two-term County Commissioner Donna Hayes, a Republican, abandoned her re-election effort in January after being cited for leaving the scene of a car accident. Now a collision appears certain between Republicans John Colon, a financial planner, and Vanessa Baugh, who runs a jewelry store in Lakewood Ranch.

Colon, a longtime GOP activist, has lined up support from Hayes, former party chairmen and big Manatee developers, including Carlos Beruff. Baugh, meanwhile, has backing from major Lakewood Ranch developers in addition to three current county commissioners and former state Rep. Ron Reagan, R-Bradenton.

Neither candidate is well-known in Manatee County, meaning it’s anyone’s race in the August Republican primary.

The winner likely will take on Democrat James T. Golden in November.

Challenging McClash

District 7 Manatee County Commission, Joe McClash vs. Betsy Benac

The longest serving Manatee County commissioner, Joe McClash (first elected in 1990), faces a stiff Republican primary challenge for re-election in one of the county’s two countywide districts.

McClash, known for getting under the skin of developers, faces a big financial disadvantage despite being the incumbent. McClash has less $2,000 in his campaign account. Meanwhile, Betsy Benac, a former county planner who works for Benderson Development Corp., is not only staked to money from some of the biggest developers, she’s also backed by one of McClash’s fellow county commissioners, Larry Bustle, a Republican.

McClash said it’s not the first time the developers have tried to push him out of office and he’s itching to beat them back again.

“It energizes me,” said McClash, who easily beat his last Republican primary opponent in 2008.

School board battles

District 2 and District 4

Already the county is assured of at least one new school board member after Harry Kinnan announced he was retiring at the end of the year from District 2. That’s sparked a fight to replace him involving Lakewood Ranch government teacher Robert Moates, frequent school board critic Dave Miner and newly filed William Chaltis in the nonpartisan race.

In another battle, incumbent Bob Gause, in District 4, is facing a spirited challenge from Palmetto’s Linda Schaich.

The potential for two new faces on the already tension-filled board could shift the balance of power even further against superintendent Tim McGonegal, who has already voiced frustration over two current board members.

Congressional tussle

Vern Buchanan vs. Keith Fitzgerald, 16th Congressional District

The struggle for the newly drawn 16th Congressional District will dominate both Sarasota and Manatee counties. But Manatee is positioned to be the decider in the race. In 2006, the last time Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, had a tough race, Buchanan lost Sarasota County in the Republican primary and general election, but won by 369 votes thanks to a huge boost from Manatee voters.

But redistricting has done Buchanan no favors. The addition of at least 6,000 more Democrats could help Democratic challenger Keith Fitzgerald of Sarasota.

Buchanan has put an intense focus on Manatee County, holding regular town hall meetings there and last week walking downtown.

Mayoral showdown

Wayne Poston vs. Marianne Barnebey, Mayor of Bradenton

If you want two candidates who just don’t like one another, look no further than this race. Barnebey, a city councilwoman since 1998, and Poston, mayor since 2000, have been feuding with each other for years.

Poston over the years has called Barnebey a whiner, while Barnebey has accused Poston of intentionally leaving her out.

Both are Republicans who would face off in a nonpartisan election in November.

The national party on Monday officially assigned hotel space for the thousands of Republicans coming from around the country to watch Mitt Romney officially accept the GOP nomination for president. Florida’s Republicans were assigned the Innisbrook Resort near Palm Harbor in northern Pinellas County – 30 miles from where the convention is being held. In traffic, Florida Republicans can expect it to take at least 45 minutes to an hour on commuter buses to get from their hotel digs to the site of the convention during the four day event.

The convention begins Aug. 27.

Meanwhile states like Michigan, Romney’s home state, and Massachusetts, where he was governor, were given hotels literally blocks from the convention site. Many other states were given space near Tampa International Airport and downtown – both just minutes from the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Florida Republican Party chairman Lenny Curry isn’t happy about the assignment.

“There are hotels in Tampa that could have housed our delegation that were given to other states,” Curry said in an interview on Monday. “It’s perplexing to me.”

Florida Republicans were also assigned to the same hotel as South Carolina. That state was among the most aggressive in calling for Florida Republicans to be punished for moving the state’s primary election to Jan. 31. Florida’s move forced South Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa to all move their elections into January.

Back then, South Carolina’s GOP chairwoman Karen Floyd said Florida should lose the convention because of its moving up the primary date against the rules.

In all, convention organizers reserved 16,000 rooms at approximately 100 hotels in the Tampa Bay area. Official delegations from 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories will be housed in 36 hotels. The remaining hotels will accommodate other convention visitors, including media representatives and Republican Party officials.

The convention organizers will charter 300 buses to shuttle delegates, alternate delegates, the media and other guests from their respective hotels to the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Instead the Congressman three times reminded the crowd he’s trying to fight U.S. House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., one of the most disliked Democratic figures among Republican voters these days.

“I’m not running so much against a guy locally,” Buchanan told about 500 Republicans at a Lincoln Day fundraising dinner in Sarasota on Friday night. “I’m running against a lady that wants to become Speaker again, Nancy Pelosi.”

Earlier, Buchanan thanked the crowd for helping him fire Pelosi by re-electing him in 2010 and sending Democrats into the minority. And he later said Republicans have to work to fire President Barack Obama and Pelosi in November.

Buchanan was speaking before keynote speaker John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under George W. Bush.