Lee County Commission candidates move on to general election

Author: Annette Montgomery Writer: Bryanna Sterzenbach
Published: Updated:

Two County Commission seats, District 3 and District 5, are open in Lee County, and the results are in for the primary election.

Lee County’s Ray Sandelli is finishing out his term in District 3, and David Mulicka and Jake Cataldo will be battling for the spot on Nov. 5.

Mulicka had enough votes, with 64.3% in his favor and all precincts reporting, to win and will now face Cataldo in November.

“It feels great. It’s a blend of excitement and relief,” said Mulicka after his win, “but I’m so honored and humbled to have the support of all of Lee County. To have won this race 2-1 in my first campaign and in my hometown. I can’t tell you how excited and proud I am.”

Cataldo is a write-in candidate and will face Mulicka in the general election contest.

Matthew Thornton lost to Mulicka having only received 35.7% of the vote.

In District 5 of Lee County, Lee County Commissioner Amanda Cochran was challenging incumbent Mike Greenwell.

Greenwell beat Cochran in the race for District 5 with 55.3% of the votes in his favor. He will face Democrat Kizzie Fowler during the general election in November.

Sandelli is retiring after announcing he wouldn’t be running for reelection when his term was up, saying in a statement:

“Governor DeSantis called upon me in August of 2019 to fill the vacated Lee County Board of Commissioners, District 3 seat left by the unfortunate passing of my predecessor, Commissioner Larry Kiker. In 2020, I was able to successfully run for a full four-year term which ends in November of 2024. I am not a politician and have always defined myself as simply a public servant. A sense of purpose in each day and the joy of service to our Nation, State, and County has been, and continues to be, an honor.”

Mulicka tells WINK News he has a passion for Lee County and has loved it his entire life, and he knows what works for the county and what doesn’t.

Thornton has a 40-year career in construction and wants to focus on sustainable development.

WINK News Anchor Annette Montgomery was at Pelican Preserve for Mulicka’s watch party along with some notable attendees:

  • Matt Caldwell, candidate for Property Appraiser
  • Bill Ribble, candidate for School Board District 3
  • Krissy Houlihan, State Committee Representative
  • Councilmen Ray Sandelli and Cecil Pendergrass
  • Sam Fisher, School Board member
  • Senator Jonathan Martin
  • Spencer Roach, member of the Florida House of Rep.

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