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Women Win Court Races

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By TODD LESKANIC

tleskanic@tampatrib.com

Published: November 5, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Susan Gardner's victory in Tuesday's election proved that money doesn't always win elections.

Gardner, 46, defeated opponent Robert Angus Williams for a seat on the Pasco-Pinellas Circuit Court by a wide margin, despite being outspent by more than $113,000 during the campaign.

"I think it just goes to show that money isn't everything in a race," Gardner said Tuesday night. "I worked hard, gave people straight answers and did some good old-fashioned hard work."

In the race for Pasco County Clerk of Circuit Court, Paula O'Neil defeated New Port Richey lawyer Robert Altman by about 30,000 votes.

O'Neil, 52, had the advantage of campaigning for the job while working as the office's chief deputy clerk, a position she has held since 2002. She will replace her current boss, Jed Pittman, who is retiring after more than 30 years.

"I'm just honored," she said Tuesday night.

Gardner, a lawyer with the Pasco-Pinellas Public Defender's Office, won the seat being vacated by retiring Circuit Judge Wayne Cobb. Cobb, 72, has been a judge since 1977.

Observers have said Gardner had an edge in the race because women tend to run strong in judicial races. But her wide margin of victory likely indicates other factors played a part in the election.

Gardner said she couldn't celebrate Tuesday night, though. She's due in court for pretrial hearings at 9 this morning.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (727) 815-1084.

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