- July 20, 2026
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Lakewood Ranch Realtor Nancy Fish-Mooney made a round through a room at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing on July 16, collecting flyers that described the more than 50 candidates she was about to meet.
She then fanned the flyers across a bar and read about each one.
“I want people who are faith-based,” she said. “I have a lot more research to do before election time.”
The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance partnered with the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee along with both counties' chambers and economic development corporations to host “Meet the Candidates."
Over 300 members of the organizations jumped at the chance to do just that.
Fish-Mooney said she was especially impressed with Florida House District 72 candidate John Phillips and Manatee County District 2 candidate Edward Bailey.
Both Phillips and Bailey are facing incumbents during the primaries. Rep. Bill Conerly represents District 72, and Commissioner Amanda Ballard represents District 2.
With so many candidates to meet, Fish-Mooney noted that the candidates should’ve brought maps of their districts to help residents more easily identify the candidates who could represent them.
Sydney Gruters understood the assignment. A huge map stood in front of her table that highlighted District 16. Gruters is running to replace Congressman Vern Buchanan.
The candidates were split between Manatee County on one side of the room and Sarasota on the other side.
Both counties' Supervisor of Elections offices had tables set up, so residents could register to vote and ask questions about their voting districts and precincts.
LWRBA president and CEO Brittany Lamont noted that even though people see flyers and might know some of candidates, nothing compares to meeting them face-to-face.
On the other hand, she said it was a great opportunity for the candidates to meet the business community.
Ed Ference, a candidate for Manatee County’s District 6, said the event was also a “two-way sell” with local nonprofit organizations.
Operation Warrior Rescue’s Denise Kirsop, senior director of operations and programs, and Kel Sprague, brain based healing practitioner, attended the event expecting to hear speeches and quickly realized they were going to have to do some talking, too.
“We’re here to make sure we’re connected to the leadership in our community so we can serve more veterans,” Sprague said.
The pair met every candidate on one side of the room, took a water break and headed back inside to meet every candidate on the other side.
Mark Stanoch, Manatee County’s District 1 candidate, was positioned directly in front of the door — maybe because he brought candy. The whole room was eating Payday bars by the end of the night.
“What do you get when you bring in high paying jobs,” Stanoch asked rhetorically. “A payday.”
District 1 is the most crowded local race heading into the Aug. 18 primaries with six Republicans vying to get their name on the ballot.
Stanoch was joined by fellow candidates John Dunn, Mike Harrison, Adam Johnson and Sari Lindroos-Valimaki (the lone Democratic candidate in District 1).
District 1 candidates Elizabeth Arnold and Leland Taylor didn’t attend.
Because attendees were from all over Manatee and Sarasota counties, Harrison estimated that he met about 25 residents who lived in District 1.
Stanoch estimated he met even less than that.
“Most were not residents of District 1,” Stanoch said. “But they were business people, and that’s good. I don’t care where they are, they can support economic development. I met one guy who lives in District 5 but wants to start a business in District 1.”
One business Lindroos-Valimaki does not want to see in Manatee County is a hyperscale AI data center, so she was networking with candidates as much as residents.
If she doesn't win her election, Lindroos-Valimaki's "mission" remains the same: Update Manatee County's comprehensive plan to include a special zoning category for data centers, so commissioners can't be pushed toward an approval because of vague language.
Debi Reynolds, the 2025 president of the Realtors Association, said the evening helped inform her learn about the decisions she has to make moving into the primaries.
She's not entirely decided just yet, but after meeting the candidates, she has a better feel for where she's "leaning."
