Manatee Candidate Arrested Second Time In Domestic Battery Case: Jail Records

BRADENTON, FL — A Manatee County Commission candidate was arrested on Tuesday for the second time in weeks, this time for violating conditions of his release after being charged with domestic battery last month, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrest records show.

Tony Barrett, 59, now faces two additional charges of violating pretrial release conditions, according to records.

He was originally arrested on June 18 on a domestic battery, touch or strike, charge, a misdemeanor.

Barrett’s arraignment is scheduled for July 29 at the Manatee County Judicial Center.

Patch has reached out to him for comment. This story will be updated when he responds.

Barrett, a Republican running for the at-large District 6 seat currently held by Jason Bearden, was initially arrested on June 18 after an argument with his ex-girlfriend, whom he still lives with, turned physical, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office probable cause affidavit for his arrest.

The candidate is accused of pulling the woman’s hair and hitting her head against the bedroom floor multiple times, the affidavit said.

The woman called 911 when she was able to break away from Barrett just after 4 a.m., MCSO said.

The right side of her head was red and swollen when deputies arrived, according to the affidavit. He had a cut on the inside of his upper lip and a minor injury to his hand.

He has a no-contact order with his victim following the incident.

There are few details available about his June 30 arrest other than the date and charge. He was still in custody as of Wednesday afternoon, jail records show.

In the days following his initial arrest, Barrett wrote in a social media post that he intended to continue his campaign and that “there is still light ahead.”

“I'm grateful for the many people who have supported me on this journey. Friends, family, volunteers, supporters, and contributors who believed enough in me to invest their time, energy, and resources into this campaign,” he wrote. “That support is one of the many reasons I will continue to move forward. Public service has never been about taking the easy path. It's about showing up, staying focused, and honoring the trust that others place in you.”

The post continued, “I've also realized that I owe it to those who believed in me enough to invest in this campaign. People have contributed their hard earned money because they believe in my vision, my experience, and my commitment to serving our community. I do not take that trust lightly, and I will not walk away from it.”

In a separate post on June 28, just two days before his second arrest, he shared some thoughts about the public scrutiny surrounding his arrest.

“As this campaign moves forward, I have found myself reflecting less on politics and more on humanity,” Barrett wrote. “The public discussion surrounding my personal situation has become increasingly painful, not only for me, but because it has reminded me how quickly we can lose sight of the fact that there are real people behind every headline, every social media post, and every campaign sign.”

He continued, “I have never claimed to be a perfect person. Like many others, I have experienced difficult and painful circumstances in my personal life that I would not wish on anyone. Those who know me know that I have always tried to approach life, leadership, and service with compassion, accountability, and respect for others … Whatever differences we may have politically, I hope we can all remember that every person involved in this process deserves to be treated with dignity, understanding, and humanity. “We can disagree without destroying one another.

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