Jacob Ogles
A conservative group in Lee County honored both Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno and State Attorney Amira Fox.
The Conservative Leadership Caucus Legacy of Leadership Banquet was held at the Pelican Preserve Country Club. The area’s top elected justice officials were each given Law Enforcement Leader Awards, which were presented by Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane.
The Conservative Leadership Caucus is chaired by Andrew Sund, with Doris Cortese serving as Vice Chair. Sund lost a close election in 2022 for Lee County Republican Party Chair, and the group has grown out of a once-dominant win of the party remaining involved in the area’s politics.
Fox won re-election unopposed in 2022. She was initially elected in 2018.
Marceno faces re-election this year. At the moment, no candidate has filed against him.
Marceno previously served as Undersheriff to former Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott. He was initially appointed to Sheriff by then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2018 following Mike Scott’s retirement.
In 2020, Marceno fended off a GOP Primary challenge and General Election opponents to win a full term in charge of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. He ultimately won 69% of the vote in a Republican Primary over retired Maj. Jim Leavens. He then won about 67% of the General Election vote over Democrat Robert Neeld’s 28%, with independents splitting the remainder of the vote.
Marceno as he heads into another re-election year has stepped up community outreach.
His re-election campaign also released internal polling results last year that showed the incumbent in good shape for re-election, with 59% of voters voicing favorable views of the Sheriff and 15% with an unfavorable opinion. Among Republican voters, his approval rating was higher, at about 74% with just an 8% unfavorable rating.
The support from the conservative group comes weeks ahead of a June 14 deadline for anyone to challenge Marceno for re-election.
