Sara Roberts McCarley Wins Lakeland Special Election

LAKELAND, FL — Sara Roberts McCarley sailed to an easy victory in Tuesday's special election to fill the unexpired commission seat of Mike Dunn. The first-time candidate beat Patrick Shawn Jones,and Bill Watts.

"I'm a mom. I'm a businesswoman and I really love Lakeland," said Sara Roberts McCarley in her meet-the-candidate video. "I have lived here for 13 years. I went to college here and actually I was born here."

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Roberts McCarley received 74.2 percent of the vote compared to 14.3 percent for Watts and 11.5 percent for Jones, according to unofficial results released by the Polk County Supervisor of Elections Office on Tuesday night. She earned 5,858 of the 7,895 votes cast.

Watts received 1,130 votes and Jones received 907.

"Congratulations to Sara Roberts McCarley on your recent election," city officials said after Roberts McCarley was declared the winner. "We are looking forward to you joining the Lakeland City Commission representing the SW District."

The mother of two runs the Randy Roberts Foundation, which cultivates Florida's future leaders by providing public service initiatives, civic engagement opportunities and allocating resources to students who excel in those areas. She is also a former executive director of Pulp Vision, which engaged in public-private partnerships. "I got to learn a lot about Lakeland in the role," she said.

Dunn is facing a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the Oct. 3 shooting death of a man who allegedly attempted to steal a hatchet from Dunn's business, Vets Army-Navy Surplus at 819 N. Florida Ave. State Attorney Brian Haas later said there was no evidence that the victim posed an imminent threat to Dunn.

Roberts McCarley said she also looks forward to being part of the city's visioning process.

"I really want to lay the groundwork now so that our community continues to grow and be successful for all of our children and all of our futures," she said in the video.

Watch the videos below to learn more about Sara Roberts McCarley:

Roberts McCarley. promised to look closely at city spending and make sure that city officials "make the right cuts just like we do on our home budgets."

She stressed to voters that she had never run for office before.

"I am a businesswoman and a mom," she said. "I think it's really important to give back to the city that has given me so much."

Sara Roberts McCarley photo courtesy city of Lakeland