Mack easily retains congressional post
District 14 Rep. Connie Mack retained his congressional seat on Tuesday, virtually sweeping the polls in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties.
Mack gained 119,313 votes, for 66.30 percent of the total votes cast in Lee County. And pulled 55,816 votes, for 73.97 percent of the total votes in Collier County. Mack also culled 5,846 votes, for 64.92 percent of the total votes in Charlotte County.
Mack did not return calls and emails for comment on Tuesday.
Democratic challenger James Lloyd Roach, a Cape Coral resident, was Mack’s closest competition.
In Lee, Roach pulled 52,414 votes, for 29.13 percent of the total vote. And in Collier, Roach pulled 16,865 votes, for 22.35 percent of the total votes in the county. He also culled 2,549 votes, for 28.30 percent of the votes in Charlotte county.
Roach said he is already eyeing another run in 2012, and that he was “celebrating” the loss because he wanted to honor those who supported and voted for him.
“As a first-time candidate, not knowing what was going to happen and learning the ropes, I do not feel bad about how I did,” Roach said.
Roach said Mack “refused” to debate him, but felt he encountered a fairly large amount of anti-incumbent sentiment toward the long-time congressman. Mack has held the seat since 2005.
“I ran into a lot of people who didn’t know my name but didn’t want to vote for Mack,” Roach said.
No party candidate William Maverick St. Claire culled 8,232 votes, for 4.57 percent of the total votes in Lee County, and 2,773 votes, for 3.67 percent of the total votes in Collier County. St. Claire also culled 398 votes, for 4.42 percent of the vote in Charlotte County.
All of Charlotte County’s districts had not reported at press time.
All results are unofficial until transmitted to the state capital.