The Manatee County Commission District 4 Republican primary will see political activist Glen Gibellina challenge first-term incumbent Mike Rahn. There is no Democrat or NPA candidate in the race, but because the write-in loophole was used, this will not be an open primary, meaning Republican voters alone will decide who represents the south county district.
Rahn was elected with support from the development community and has made several highly questionable votes in the industry’s interest. Most notably, Rahn voted in favor of removing local wetland protections in 2023, despite broad opposition from environmental groups and the public at large. He also voted to limit Manatee County’s ability to collect development impact fees, which reduces our ability to adequately fund new infrastructure necessitated by development growth.
Rahn is a lifelong resident of Manatee and Sarasota Counties. He is a graduate of Sarasota High School who served in Operation Desert Storm with the United States Marine Corps. He went on to work as a mortgage broker and is listed as a "Life Director" with the Suncoast Builders Association, a development trade group.
When it comes to development, Rahn is a true believer who does not hide his enthusiasm for growth, having once said he thought every square inch of Manatee County should be zoned residential. Rahn has been a responsive commissioner who engages with constituents and lobbies for the small businesses in his district.
Over the past decades, Glen Gibellina has built a reputation as a deeply engaged citizen activist who probably attends more public meetings than most elected officials. Whether it is the county commission, the school district, the Bradenton City Council, or even the port authority, Gibellina shows up well-prepared and has often caught important issues that would otherwise have flown under the radar.
Gibellina is a conservative Republican who believes in fiscal responsibility, low taxes, and governments refraining from picking winners and losers in the marketplace. He has railed against what often appear to be sweetheart deals with potential conflicts of interest, or promotions based on politics rather than merit.
That said, Gibellina is also not afraid to march to the beat of his own drum, which we find to be one of his best qualities. He has been one of the loudest proponents of governments incorporating solar panels into their infrastructure. He has been an ardent defender of our community’s natural resources. Gibelina, who constructs homes from shipping containers, was a driving force behind the county’s ADU policy.
Above all, Gibellina has proven himself willing and capable of standing up to Big Development. Given Manatee County’s current state of overdevelopment and inadequate supporting infrastructure, we find this to be a paramount strength for county commission candidates. For that reason, this is an easy call. Rahn has rarely seen a development plan he has not liked, while Gibellina has fought to give voice to a majority of citizens frustrated by current development trends. We believe he has earned the chance to do that from the other side of the dias.
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GLEN GADFLY GIBELLINA
HAS MY VOTE!!!!
Thursday, June 25 Report this
graumli22
I'm not in Gibellina's district, but I wish I was so I could vote for him!!
Friday, June 26 Report this
susieb.copeland
So sorry I can’t vote for him but wish his very best in election (I don’t live in D4). He will truly represent the ppl of D4 and Manatee County!
Friday, June 26 Report this
Charles
— Folks need to encourage those who may vote in this primary for District 4 to make this change, otherwise the cabal money will determine the race they have made sure is closed. Looks as if we finally are getting some good options, even in the congressional race (Kirschner), am grateful for endorsements that focus closely like this.
Sunday, June 28 Report this
Dianna
Glen is one of the hardest working citizen activist in Manatee County. Every Manatee County citizen would be fortunate to have him elected as the District 4 Commissioner.
Monday, June 29 Report this