Harvey Shifrin, a Bradenton Democrat, is running for Florida House of Representatives District 72, which includes Lakewood Ranch, in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election against Republican incumbent William Conerly.

Asked why he is running, Shifrin said in our candidate questionnaire: "It is important to reverse the erosion of local rule by the legislature over the past 15 years. This affects the ability of the County to control development, set proper water table buffers, and effectively determine the policies that affect local government and particularly Manatee County."

Candidate information

Residence: 17116 Cresswind Terrace, Bradenton, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

Education: "B.S. in Communications-Radio, TV University of Illinois J.D. Baylor University School of Law"

Family: "I am married with two children and four grandchildren. I have four sisters."

Occupation and work history: "I am an attorney and CPA. Since 1976 I have worked in various capacities predominantly as a third party administrator of Qualified Retirement Plans (401(k)s, Pension Plans, etc.). I also have served as a substitute teacher in Illinois as well as an adjunct Professor of Law at John Marshall Law School in Chicago. I also served as chair of the Chicago Bar Employee Benefits Section."

Shifrin supports local arts organizations including the Manatee Performing Arts Center, The Sarasota Players and Florida Studio Theatre, according to Florida Politics.

Experience and public service

Previous elected office: "In the '80s I served as President of a Texas Municipal Utility District."

Ballot history: Shifrin filed for the District 72 race on May 4, 2026, and qualified on June 9, 2026. He had previously been a candidate for Manatee County School Board District 5 but withdrew on April 30, 2026, before filing for the House seat. He faced no primary opponent, and the Aug. 18, 2026, Democratic primary was canceled, advancing him directly to the general election, according to the AMI Sun.

He participated in a League of Women Voters of Manatee County candidate forum on Sept. 15, 2026, according to Suncoast Searchlight.

On the issues

Home rule: Asked what decisions should stay with local governments, Shifrin said in our questionnaire: "Laws such as the Live Local Act and SB180 have stripped from the county the ability to legislate zoning and restrictions in favor of developers. As a result, Manatee is precluded from banning data centers (although they have deferred decisions for a year), providing stronger protections needed for the Myakka River and its Manatee County watersheds, and restricting developers from encroaching mandated setbacks. … We need to restore the right to control how our county manages development, traffic, infrastructure and quality of life in the county. My opponent has voted for every one of them in the past two years."

Differences from opponent: "My opponent has voted consistently in support of developers (the largest source of his funding) and against home rule to the detriment of Manatee County … His background is civil engineering. My background is in interpreting the law … I am centrist in my philosophy and will work best both within my own party and with traditional Republicans as well as with independents."

Approach to the job: "I pay attention to detail. The one thing education teaches is that you never stop learning … I approach this job as somebody who has something to say and is not afraid to hear what you have to say."