After machine recount, Cary Pigman declared winner over Randy Johnson in HD 55

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Cary Pigman is one step closer to serving in Tallahassee.

At the end of Election Day on Tuesday, Pigman finished less than 30 votes ahead of GOP rival Randy Johnson, prompting a machine recount of the votes in House District 55.

On Saturday, after the ballots were checked and rechecked, Pigman again finished ahead of Johnson — this time by 34 votes — solidifying Pigman’s victory.

Had the machine recount found the difference between Pigman and Johnson to be just 32 votes — or .25% of the total — a hand recount would have been required, said Chris Cate, a spokesman for the Florida Deparment of State.

Johnson’s defeat is a blow to opponents of gaming expansion in Florida as the former State Representative is one of the most outspoken critics of gambling.

District 55 includes a portion of southern St. Lucie County, all of Okeechobee and Glades and part of Highlands County.

Peter Schorsch is the President of Extensive Enterprises and is the publisher of some of Florida’s most influential new media websites, including SaintPetersBlog.com, FloridaPolitics.com, ContextFlorida.com, and Sunburn, the morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. SaintPetersBlog has for three years running been ranked by the Washington Post as the best state-based blog in Florida. In addition to his publishing efforts, Peter is a political consultant to several of the state’s largest governmental affairs and public relations firms. Peter lives in St. Petersburg with his wife, Michelle, and their daughter, Ella.