Manatee Candidate To Stay In Race Despite Domestic Battery Charge

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — A Manatee County Commission candidate will remain in the race despite his recent domestic battery arrest.

Tony Barrett, a Republican running for the at-large District 6 seat currently held by Jason Bearden, wrote in a social media post on Sunday 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.”

Barrett was booked into Manatee County Jail on June 18 on a misdemeanor domestic battery, touch or strike, charge after an argument with his ex-girlfriend, whom he still lives with, turned physical, Florida Politics said.

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

The woman called 911 when she was able to break away from Barrett just after 4 a.m., the Bradenton Herald said. The right side of her head was red and swollen when they arrived.

He has a no-contact order with his victim, reports said. His arraignment is scheduled for July 29.

Currently a commissioner for the East Manatee Fire Rescue District, Barrett faces three other Republicans in the Aug. 18 primary race for District 6. He’s up against fellow GOP candidates John B. Calovich, Edward J. Ference and Tara Poulton.

The top vote-getter in the Republican primary faces the Democratic candidate in the Nov. 3 general election. Former District 2 commissioner Reggie Bellamy is the only Democrat to qualify for the race.

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