Steve Branham wins race for Longboat Key at-large commission seat

Steve Branham is Longboat Key’s new at-large commissioner. 

Branham won the majority in Sarasota County but fell slightly behind his opponent, Deborah Murphy, in the votes of Manatee County residents. 

In the March 11 election, Branham garnered 76.51% of votes from Sarasota County residents and 45.78% of Manatee County residents' votes. Murphy received the majority in Manatee County with 54.22% but lost in Sarasota County with only 23.49%. 

When Branham received word about his win, he was at home for a gathering among friends and campaign supporters.  

“It's great,” Branham said after winning. "What's most gratifying is to be surrounded by friends. That's what makes Longboat, Longboat."  

After conceding the win, Murphy said she wished Branham well in his term but had hoped more voters would turn out to the polls.

“I feel sorry for Manatee County. … We needed more representation on the commission. They had an opportunity — they lost it.”

She said she will continue to work toward representing the best interests of the town.

Branham will take the seat currently held by Vice Mayor Mike Haycock. The seat change will happen during a statutory commission meeting on March 24.

Haycock reached his term limit for the commission after six years on the commission. He served many of those years as Longboat’s vice mayor. 

This contested race was the first since 2018, when there were three contested elections. Since then, candidates have either run unopposed or the competition dropped out before the election.    

This year was different, though, with Steve Branham and Deborah Murphy facing off for the vacancy.

Murphy previously held a commission seat from March 2023 to December 2023 after taking over the District 5 seat from Maureen Merrigan. 

In December 2023, Murphy resigned from the position after the state instituted a requirement for local elected officials to complete a Form 6 financial disclosure form. Murphy cited personal reasons for not feeling comfortable filling out the form.

A federal judge temporarily blocked the requirement since Murphy’s resignation, whose resignation was among many others in Florida.

Murphy, a north-end resident, decided to run for the at-large seat because she wanted to bring more north-end representation to the commission since many upcoming projects fall in that territory, including the Broadway Roundabout and ongoing traffic issues. 

Her background was mainly focused on her business experience owning her multigenerational family business in Maryland before coming to Longboat Key. 

Branham is no stranger to Longboat Key boards, having served on the Consolidated Retirement System Board of Trustees since 2014. 

His background is largely in the U.S. Coast Guard, where he served the organization’s chief financial officer for three years, during which he managed a budget of about $10 billion. Branham also earned the title of rear admiral in the Coast Guard. 

Manatee County representation

As Murphy awaited the results in the company of her husband at Ventura’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar, she took a moment to thank those who supported her campaign and reflect on the town’s needs.

Photo by Dana Kampa

She told the Observer that she believed she had the requisite experience, especially with her recent work with the planning, zoning and extension board and consolidated retirement board.

“I feel like I’ve done my duty,” she said.

Murphy added that she believed running at-large was the right decision based on residents’ feedback that Manatee County deserves more attention.

“A lot of them feel very disenfranchised,” she said. “So much money leaves from our tax dollars, and Sarasota County is very generous with building a new library and parks.”

She added, “Win or not, I did it for the right reasons.”

Andy and Barb Martin, who by coincidence ran into Murphy as she waited for the results, said they supported her candidacy based on years of friendship and an appreciation for her leadership as the head of their housing association when they moved to Longboat Key in 2021.

“She was super welcoming,” Andy said, adding that Terry Connely was at their place within an hour of their moving in to lend a hand.

“We’re delighted to be supporting her,” he said, believing Murphy would be an excellent representative of their interests.

Regardless of the outcome, Murphy said she looks forward to uplifting the community and continuing to push for more representation for Manatee County residents.

Dana Kampa contributed to this report.