Rep. Bill Conerly will keep his seat representing eastern Manatee County after defeating challenger John "Captain" Phillips by nearly 28 points in the Tuesday Republican primary for Florida House District 72.
Conerly collected 14,250 votes (64%) to Phillips' 8,033 (36%), according to the AMI Sun. Manatee County tallies show all 71 precincts reported by about 10:15 p.m., with countywide turnout at 30%: 71,485 of 237,646 registered voters cast ballots.
The result matters for Lakewood Ranch residents who watched the two Republicans spar over development preemption, homeowners association (HOA) oversight and a proposed property-tax overhaul at an Aug. 1 forum hosted by the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club at the Lakewood Ranch Library. Club President Bruce Stamm moderated.
Conerly, first elected in 2024, now advances to the Nov. 3 general election against Democrat Harvey Shifrin, who faced no primary opponent. As we reported in our voter guide, District 72 covers eastern Manatee County, including Lakewood Ranch.
Development law, HOA reform and tax measure loom for Lakewood Ranch
Three issues debated at the forum will follow Conerly back to Tallahassee:
Senate Bill 180: Signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in June 2025, the law bars local governments from imposing "more restrictive and burdensome" development regulations. Manatee County joined a multi-county lawsuit challenging the bill's constitutionality. The law is set to sunset in 2027 if no storms trigger its extension provisions.
At the Aug. 1 forum, Conerly argued the bill's problems stem from interpretation, not intent. "The name of the bill was 'emergencies.' The intent was to provide fiscal stability and post-storm recovery. … You don't need to do anything. The bill sunsets in 2027," he said.
HOA reform: Conerly co-sponsored House Bill 657, which would have created a process for terminating homeowners associations. The bill died in the Senate Rules Committee. Conerly told forum attendees that HOA complaints are among the most common constituent concerns and that he supports revising oversight rules.
Amendment 3: On the Nov. 3 ballot, the measure would expand homestead exemptions up to $250,000 for homeowners past the five-year mark. Phillips noted at the forum that the homestead exemption accounts for only 13% of what the county collects in taxes.
Conerly, Shifrin head to November as Amendment 3 looms
Conerly faces Shifrin on Nov. 3. Amendment 3 will also appear on that ballot, giving voters a direct say on the property-tax question both candidates debated in August.
