In a crowded field, Burt Saunders defeated three others in the Republican primary for Collier County Commission in District 3.
But the race isn’t over yet.
Saunders, who is seeking a third term, will face Richard Conover, an independent with no party affiliation, in the Nov. 5 general election.
Saunders won the primary with 3,608 votes, or 47.1% of the total votes cast.
He defeated John Johnson, Frank Roberts and Floyd “Tag” Yarnell with ease.
Roberts, the closest candidate, received 2,247 votes, or 29.3% of the total. That compares with 412 votes, or 5.4%, for Johnson, and 1,391 votes, or 18.2%, for Yarnell.
Each county commissioner is elected by voters in their district to a four-year term. Terms are staggered, with a total of five commissioners.
The annual salary for this position is $103,414.
District 3 includes Golden Gate and parts of North Naples and Golden Gate Estates.
If re-elected, he will focus primarily on traffic, growth and the environment.
When he ran for county commission in 2016, he felt that Golden Gate City had been neglected by the county for decades and wanted to improve the “whole neighborhood.” While much progress has been made since then, he still wants to accomplish much more.
Saunders, 75, has been a resident of the county since 1982. A former county attorney, state representative and state senator, he remains an attorney in private practice. He specializes in local and state government and health care law at the law firm GrayRobinson, where he is a shareholder.
His remaining opponent, 60-year-old Conover, is an insurance agency owner and local musician known as “the Wolf.”
Conover’s main goal is to stop developers who want to “buy up lots and convert our residential areas into commercial buildings or high-density housing.”
Previously: Collier Commissioner Saunders faces four challengers in the race for District 3
And: 5 candidates are vying for a seat on the Collier Commission in District 3. Here’s what you need to know.
Saunders raised $85,100 during his campaign, the most of any other candidate.
The winner of the race will be sworn in after the election results are certified on November 15.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Incumbent Burt Saunders Still Faces Opposition in General Election
