Manatee County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 U.S. Census,the population was 399,710. Manatee County is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota,Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat and largest city is Bradenton. The county was created in 1855 and named for the Florida manatee,Florida's official marine mammal. Features of Manatee County include access to the southern part of the Tampa Bay estuary,the Sunshine Skyway Bridge,and the Manatee River.
Sarasota County is a county located in Southwest Florida. At the 2020 US census,the population was 434,006. Its county seat is Sarasota and its largest city is North Port. Sarasota County is part of the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota,FL metropolitan statistical area.
Bradenton is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County,Florida,United States. As of the 2020 census,the city's population is 55,698,up from 49,546 at the 2010 census. It is a principal city in the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota,Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Downtown Bradenton is along the Manatee River and includes the Bradenton Riverwalk. Downtown Bradenton is also home to the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.
Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport is a public use international airport located within three jurisdictions:Sarasota County,the city limits of Sarasota,and Manatee County,all in the U.S. state of Florida. Owned by the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority,it is 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Downtown Sarasota and 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Bradenton.
State College of Florida,Manatee–Sarasota (SCF) is a public college with campuses in the Manatee and Sarasota counties of Florida. Part of the Florida College System,it is designated a "state college" because it offers a greater number of bachelor's degrees than community colleges. SCF is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Founded in 1957 as Manatee Junior College,it was known as Manatee Community College from 1985 to 2009.
Keith Fitzgerald is a former Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 69th District for two terms from 2007 to 2010.
The Sarasota metropolitan area is a metropolitan area located in Southwest Florida. The metropolitan area is defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area,a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) consisting of Manatee County and Sarasota County. The principal cities listed by the OMB for the MSA are North Port,Bradenton,Sarasota,Lakewood Ranch,and Venice. At the 2020 census,the MSA had a population of 833,716. The Census Bureau estimates that its population was 891,411 in 2022.
Vernon Gale Buchanan is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 16th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Republican Party,he first entered Congress in 2007,representing Florida's 13th congressional district until redistricting. His district is anchored by Bradenton.
William Saint Galvano is an American Republican politician from Florida. He represented parts of Bradenton area in the Florida Senate from 2012 to 2020 and in the Florida House of Representatives from 2002 to 2010. He served as President of the Senate in his last two years in office.
Michael S. Bennett is an American politician from Florida who is a member of the Republican Party. He served as a member of the Florida Senate representing the 21st District from 2002 to 2012. He was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2001 to 2002.
Lakewood Ranch is a planned community and census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Manatee County and northeastern Sarasota County,Florida,United States,consisting of approximately 31,000 acres (13,000 ha). It is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota,Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2020 census,the CDP had a population of 34,877.
Kenneth L. Roberson is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 75th District,which is based in Charlotte County,including the communities of Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte from 2012 to 2016,he previously represented the 71st District from 2008 to 2012.
State College of Florida Collegiate School (SCFCS) is a public charter school in Florida,United States. Established in 2010,it is part of and operates on State College of Florida's Bradenton and Venice campuses. It was created through a charter with the School District of Manatee County.
Nancy C. Detert was an American Republican politician from the U.S. state of Florida who served as a Sarasota County Commissioner from 2016 until her death. Previously,she represented parts of Sarasota and Charlotte Counties in the Florida Senate,from 2008 to 2016,and served four terms in the Florida House of Representatives,from 1998 to 2006.
William Gregory Steube is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 17th congressional district since 2019. His district is based in Sarasota. A member of the Republican Party,Steube served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives,representing the Sarasota-Manatee area from 2010 to 2016,as well as two years in the Florida Senate until 2018,representing Sarasota County and the western part of Charlotte County.
Edgar Hilleary Price,Jr.,,was a World War II Bomber pilot,Florida legislator,community leader and agricultural manager who fought for civil rights and public education.
Thomas "Tom" Gallen,Jr. is a retired Florida state legislator and circuit judge.
Jim Boyd is a Republican politician and a current member of the Florida Senate,representing the 21st District,which includes northern Manatee County and southern Hillsborough County. Boyd previously represented the 68th District from 2010 to 2012 and the 71st District from 2012 to 2018.
Michael J. Grant is an American Republican politician who serves as the Majority Leader of the Florida House of Representatives. He has represented Florida's 75th district since 2016. From 2004 to 2008,he represented the 71st district.
Julie McClure is an American politician and small business owner.
