Tal Siddique challenges Manatee County Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge for District 3 seat
Talha Siddique filed to run against Manatee County Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge for the District 3 seat during the 2024 primary election.
Van Ostenbrige became a political lightning rod during his first term as a Manatee County commissioner and was quickly named as chairman after just one year in office. He has drawn significant financial support, smashing a county government election fundraising record in June after just a month on the campaign trail.
A Republican, Siddique has worked in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Air Force, and has built and scaled IT consulting businesses worldwide. He is also a youth mentor and grassroots community activist. He founded his own community advocacy group, “Speak Out Manatee,” which also operates a government watchdog blog.
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Siddique was also named on May 5 by political consultant Anthony Pedicini in a text message to County Commissioner Amanda Ballard, where he wrote he did not want Siddique appointed to any county government advisory boards, county records show.
"Our residents are frustrated with mismanagement, and the scandalous theft of property and personal data by politicians who think this is an appropriate use of their power and our taxpayer dollars," Siddique said in a press release.
Pedicini advised every current Manatee County commissioner during their previous run for office, except for Ray Turner — who was instead appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to replace longtime District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh in August.
Turner previously told the Herald-Tribune he plans to run for the seat during the upcoming election, although he has not yet filed to do so.
Baugh retired at the end of July, months after a fallout with Van Ostenbridge and Pedicini because of an effort to oust Van Ostenbridge from the chairmanship in her favor in April. Baugh held the chairmanship for two days after a split vote by the board, but the board reversed its decision two days later after Ballard flipped sides.
Other candidates have also filed to contest high-profile races. City of Bradenton Planning Commissioner Keith J Green filed to run for the at-large county commissioner seat held by George Kruse, who is expected to run for re-election but has not filed to do so.
Community advocate Carol Ann Felts has filed to run against District 1 Commissioner James Satcher, locking the incumbent commissioner into a primary election race as well.
Other candidates this cycle include Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Angelina Colonneso and Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells, who are running for re-election, as well as Manatee County School Board District 1 candidate Mark Stanoch. All three are currently in uncontested contests.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Tal Siddique to run against Manatee County chairman in 2024 primary
