Howard Holds On To Judge Seat; Runoff Set For Hawkins and Lyn

There will most likely be a runoff in the empty circuit judge's seat in the Inverness-based Fifth Circuit's Group 3.

With most precincts in the state reporting Tuesday evening, candidate Sandy Hawkins, 53, had a significant lead over Denise Lyn, 41, and Michael Lamberti, 48.

However, because she did not have 50 percent of the votes plus one, Hawkins will face off against Lyn in the general election in November.

Hawkins said she feels confident that residents voted based on experience.

"We are trial attorneys, we are in the courtroom and we know what we're doing," she said. "(Lamberti and I) both had a good showing."

Hawkins, 53, also offers 11 years of experience as a state prosecutor in Marion County, with seven years on felony cases and four years prosecuting domestic violence cases.

Hawkins, who is a single mother and spent no money on campaign signs during this year's elections, said this proves candidates do not have to have a lot of money to win.

"It's just hard work, and that's what I've been out there doing - working hard," she said.

Just before 10 p.m. Tuesday, Hawkins had garnered 42,336 votes, or nearly 43 percent. Lyn had 32,205 votes, or nearly 33 percent, while Lamberti had 24,640 votes or nearly 25 percent.

Meanwhile, incumbent Circuit Judge Richard "Ric" Howard, 55, will hold onto the seat he has held for the past seven years.

At press time, he had garnered 59 percent of the votes over Rhonda Portwood, 45, for The Fifth Circuit's Seat 11. Portwood had 41 percent of the votes.

Since his appointment to the post in 2000, Howard helped start the first mental health court in Citrus County and Hernando County's teen court in 1999.

He is also the only judge in the county and one of the few in the circuit qualified by the Florida Supreme Court to handle death penalty cases. Howard has said he plans to expand the current roster of defense attorneys qualified for death penalty cases.

The public probably knows him best as the judge who presided over the John Couey murder trial.

Lamberti, Lyn, Howard and Portwood did not return phone calls for comment late Tuesday.

Circuit Judge, Fifth Circuit Group 3

Sandy Hawkins - 42,336 (42.7)

Denise Lyn - 32,205 (32.5)

Michael Lamberti - 24,640 (24.8)

Circuit Judge, Fifth Circuit Group 11

Richard "Ric" Howard - 57,884 (59.0)

Rhonda Portwood - 40,304 (41.0)