Longtime staffer of Florida GOP congressman dies of coronavirus

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Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., announced Friday that a longtime staffer in his office died of coronavirus.

“Devastated by the death of my longtime staffer Gary Tibbetts, who passed away at Manatee Memorial Hospital from COVID-19. Gary was the consummate professional and a true public servant in every sense of the word. He touched so many lives and was loved and respected by those who knew him,” Buchanan wrote in a statement posted to Twitter.

Tibbetts, 66, had been a special assistant to Buchanan since 2011 and was a retired police sergeant from Manchester, N.H.

The Bradenton Police Department also released a statement.

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“Gary was a great supporter of Bradenton PD, and all of law enforcement. He was a dedicated and tireless advocate for the community he proudly served,” the BPD statement read.

According to the Bradenton Herald, Tibbetts was a fixture in the community, regularly holding office hours for constituents.

Numerous local officials expressed their condolences. State Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, posted on Facebook: “Incredibly tragic and sad news. Gary was so kind and generous to everyone he met. Manatee County is a better place because of all the organizations he wonderfully served. May God bless his wife, Valerie and their entire family. Rest in peace, my friend.”

Rep. Margaret Good, a Democrat who will face off against Buchanan in November, also released a statement mourning the loss: “I’m deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Gary Tibbetts. My heart goes out to his family, friends and colleagues. He was a dedicated public servant who worked every day to make this community a better place.”

Florida has been facing record spikes in coronavirus in recent weeks. On Friday, the Sunshine State adding 12,444 new cases and 135 new deaths.

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On Thursday a 9-year-old girl died from the virus, the youngest in the state and the fourth minor to die from COVID-19.