Jim Mooney retains State House seat in Florida Keys. Other Keys results

In Monroe County, state Rep. James “Jim” Mooney, a Republican, held on to his Florida House District 120 seat, defeating his challenger, Michael Travis, a Democrat from Key West.

Mooney, 73, is a two-term incumbent and former mayor of the Village of Islamorada. Travis, 35, is a well-known Key West tour guide and drag queen, but a political novice who raised little money for his campaign.

District 120 includes all of Monroe County and part of southern Miami-Dade County. Mooney led Travis by nearly 30 percentage points in Monroe and about 23 points in Miami-Dade County.

In a Keys race that made recent headlines, Democratic political veteran Ron Saunders, 70, lost to Sherri Hodies, 61, in the supervisor of elections race. The Republican newcomer was about 5 points ahead of Saunders.

Hodies received a controversial $20,000 donation and endorsement from the Florida Keys Republican Executive Committee, where she sits as treasurer, in April before the August primary.

Many committee members criticized the endorsement, saying it didn’t comply with the committee’s rule requiring a vote by all 63 members before endorsing a candidate. Only 38 members voted on the issue, and the vote was 20 to endorse and 18 not to endorse.

Gov. Ron DeSantis assigned the State Attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit of Florida, which includes Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties, to investigate the donation in September. That investigation is pending.

Hodies will replace longtime elections Supervisor Joyce Griffin, who is retiring.

In other Keys races:

Board of County Commissioners, District 3

James Scholl (Republican): Winner

Chris Massicotte (Democrat)

Key West City Commission, District 6

Aaron Castillo: Winner

Marci L. Rose

Marathon City Council

Jody Del Gaizo

Dustin Huff

Kenny Matlock: Winner

Mark Senmartin

Ray Wood

Islamorada Village Council, Seat 1

Van Cadenhead

Joseph Pinder III: Winner

Islamorada Village Council Seat 2

Steve Friedman: Winner

Anna Richards

Islamorada Village Council Seat 3

Mary Barley

Deb Gillis: Winner

Islamorada Village Council Seat 4

Don Horton: Winner

Tom Raffanello

Key Largo Fire and Emergency District, Seat 3

Kenny Edge: Winner

Ron Mobley

Key Largo Fire and Emergency District, Seat 5

Michael Jenkins: Winner

Dan Powers

Monroe Utility Board, Seat C

Rachel Oropeza: Winner

Timothy Root