Kruse knocks Van Ostenbridge off Manatee County Commission in District 7 GOP primary

George Kruse defeated Kevin Van Ostenbridge in the Republican primary for the District 7 seat on the Manatee County Commission.

District 7 is an at-large commission seat representing all Manatee County residents.

Kruse won with 23,245 votes — over 58% of the vote — in a race that was restricted to Manatee County Republicans, according to preliminary results. Van Ostenbridge received 16,503 votes or 41.5%.

As of 7:40 p.m., votes from all precincts were tallied, as well as all early votes and partial vote-by-mail results.

Van Ostenbridge did not win a second term on the Manatee County Commission, but he is expected to serve out the rest of his term, which ends in November.

Both commissioners were elected in 2020 and sought a second term on the board.

Van Ostenbridge served his first term representing District 3, which includes Anna Maria Island and part of Bradenton. But he switched to the District 7 race earlier this year to challenge political rival Kruse, labeling his fellow Republican commissioner a “liberal.”

“We need to readjust this board’s focus back to the people,” Kruse previously told the Herald. “I started doing town halls over a year and a half ago, and I’ve learned a lot from them. I’ve brought things from those town halls to the board for action. I think we need to have leadership on this board that is going to put the people first.”

Kruse beats Van Ostenbridge in GOP election

Kruse centered his campaign on listening to residents, reigning in irresponsible development, tightening the county’s budget and bringing more diverse transportation options to Manatee County.

Kruse often cast the only dissenting vote on controversial issues, such as reducing the county’s wetland buffers and allowing development past the county’s Future Development Area Boundary.

Van Ostenbridge focused his message on tax cuts and major road-building projects. He touted his philosophy of running local government like a business and promised his approach would be “light years more conservative” than his opponent.

Van Ostenbridge raised a record-breaking $236,000 in campaign funds compared to Kruse’s $58,000.

Kruse will now face Democratic candidate Sari A. Lindroos-Valimaki and a write-in candidate in the Nov. 5. general election.

Sign Up for Local Breaking News