Thanks to Governor Ron DeSantis, Mike Greenwell now occupies the Lee County Board seat that opened up when Frank Mann passed away last month. Greenwell was sworn in during the Lee County Commissioner meeting Tuesday morning.
DeSantis appointed Greenwell even though there are several Republicans, including Greenwell, running for the seat in a primary race on August 23rd. Whoever wins the primary will run against Democrat Matt Wood.
Greenwell will hold the seat until the November election no matter who wins the primary later this month.
Both Republican John Albion and Republican Joe Gambino have said the Governor was given bad advice which led to Greenwell’s appointment before the primary on August 23rd.
There’s no doubt someone who occupies the seat, even though he is not technically an incumbent, has an advantage in an election. On top of the face-time with the public Greenwell will get at meetings and attending Lee County events as a commissioner, he also has what amounts to an endorsement from a very popular Governor.