Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

County Judge: Incumbent Roberts earns a six-year term

Appointed in 2002, the county's first black judge tallies more than twice as many votes as her lesser-known opponent.

Debra Roberts, who became Pasco's first black judge in 2002, will preside over county court for six more years after an easy victory Tuesday over challenger Joseph B. Sowell.

First appointed to the job by Gov. Jeb Bush, the 51-year-old Roberts received more than double the votes that went to Sowell.

"I'm absolutely excited and certainly honored with the vote of confidence from the public," Roberts said.

Sowell was a double loser Tuesday because in order to run for office, he was forced to leave his job as staff attorney for the 5th Judicial Circuit in Bushnell. He said he can be rehired but could face a pay cut.

The 49-year-old Trilby resident touted himself as the more experienced candidate, pointing to his work as a trial lawyer, prosecutor and attorney for various state agencies, including the Department of Children and Families. Political ads said he "dedicated his life to helping victims of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect."

Yet Sowell as a candidate lacked name recognition. He lives in one of the most remote areas of the county and has never worked in a Pasco courtroom. Few people in the local legal community had heard of Sowell before the race began.

Roberts, by contrast, had 21/2 years on the bench to draw on and a phalanx of prominent supporters, including State Attorney Bernie McCabe, Public Defender Bob Dillinger and lawyers J. Larry Hart, John Renke II, Pete Proly and Declan Mansfield.

As County Judge, Roberts will earn $121,325 annually.