New Sarasota County commissioner Rainford explains election bid for South County seat

Earle Kimel, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·3 min read
Laura Benson moderated a question and answer session with Sarasota County Commissioner Neil Rainford Friday, June 28, 2023 at the South County Tiger Bay Luncheon. Rainford, who was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to finish the term of the late Nancy Detert as the District 3 representative, also explained why he’s choosing to run in that district instead of for the District 1 seat, which will also be vacant when incumbent Mike Moran is precluded from running because of term limits.

VENICE – In answers to three questions Friday, Sarasota County Commissioner Neil Rainford told members of the South Sarasota County Tiger Bay Club why he chose to succeed the late Nancy Detert as their county commissioner, as well as why he’s running for a full term in south county's District 3 instead of north county's District 1, where he and his wife Amy already own a home.

Responding to questions posed by moderator Laura Benson, Rainford said that he’s already become familiar with residents while working on campaigns for Republican candidates running for the Venice City Council, as well as successful county commission campaigns for Ron Cutsinger, Joe Neunder and Al Maio, whom Neunder succeeded.

“I pretty much knocked on most doors in Venice and North Port and Nokomis,” Rainford said, adding that he and his wife love Venice and want to buy a home on the island of Venice.

Rainford is one of three Republicans – including Gregory Wood and former Sarasota County sheriff Tom Knight – who have filed to run for the District 3 seat in the 2024 election.

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Rainford to finish Detert's term in June, ahead of several applicants, including Knight.

A longtime South County Tiger Bay member, Knight attended the event and distributed literature promoting a fundraiser and candidate petition cards. But he declined to take an opportunity to ask Rainford a direct question.

In response to Benson’s query as to why he chose Venice instead of launching a bid to succeed Mike Moran in District 1, where he now resides, Rainford, who studied urban planning at Florida State University, cited the city's charm.

“Venice is one of the most unique places,” Rainford said. “It’s already been developed, it’s mature in its development.”

He later added that the wide selection of restaurants is perfect for a household like his, that always tunes into the Food Network.

When South County Tiger Bay member Marty Dover asked Rainford about his future career goals, he replied: “This is what my career goal was.”

“Venice is really the vision that you want your other communities to look like,” he added. “This is what I want to be doing, I want to be here in Sarasota and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Rainford, who also represents a portion of North Port – the county’s largest municipality, including fast-growing Wellen Park area − noted that he hoped to bring south a  large chunk of Sarasota County’s Resilient SRQ block grant funding.

“It’s my goal to make sure that most of those dollars get awarded to South County,” Rainford said of the $201.5 million in federal block grant funds available after Hurricane Ian. “We really have an opportunity to really change the landscape in terms of attainable housing in that next generation.”

Rainford reiterated previous statements about the need to bolster infrastructure and build more affordable housing so people who work in the county can live here, too.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Neil Rainford lauds Venice and North Port at South County Tiger Bay