TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Catlin Holds Narrow Lead On Incumbent Carey In Race

ADVERTISEMENT

By THOMAS W. KRAUSE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 27, 2008

TAMPA - In an exceptionally close race, family law attorney Catherine M. Catlin was narrowly defeating sitting Circuit Judge Kevin Carey late Tuesday night.
Catlin was ahead by less than 1 percentage point. If a candidate wins by less than one-half of a percent, state law mandates an automatic machine recount, said Jennifer Davis, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of State. If the difference is less than one-quarter of a percent, ballots that the machines said were marked incorrectly will be inspected by hand, Davis said.

Carey has sat as a judge since 2002. Catlin, during her campaign, said she has practiced in front of Carey for four years and has superior skills in time management and decisiveness.

It is rare for a sitting judge to lose. In 1994, Hillsborough County Judge Charlene Honeywell lost an election. She has since become a circuit judge.

Circuit Judge Martha Cook, the only other sitting judge to face opposition, defeated Constance Daniels. Cook has been a judge since 2003.

Voters picked new judges in three other races to replace retiring circuit judges Frank Gomez, J. Rogers Padgett and Barbara Fleischer.

Long-time assistant public defender Samantha Ward defeated Miriam Velez.

Caroline Tesche, a lawyer and former prosecutor, defeated Jason Montes.

Lisa Campbell, a veteran assistant public defender who now works as a partner with Stewart & Campbell, defeated Linda Courtney Clark.

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT