Ferrero’s runoff rival too close to call for judge

The race for Alachua County judge Group 2 will be headed for a run-off in November with candidate Denise Ferrero facing a too-close-to-call second-place finisher.

Lorraine Sherman held second place unofficially Tuesday night with 20.66 percent of the votes, while Rob Groeb was just 63 votes behind with 20.44 percent of the votes.

The canvassing board was deciding late Tuesday whether to make the results official.

“I knew I should have stood out there with a sign for 30 more minutes,” said Groeb as he heard how close the second-place finish was.

Sherman said she was pretty detached from the final decision as she waited to hear if there would be an automatic recount.

“All we can do is work hard and the choice is up to the voters,” she said. “It’s just a lot of work. More than you could imagine.”

Sherman said she knew there would be a run-off and that if she takes second place, she’ll be ready.

Ferrero led the pack with a commanding 45 percent of the vote, but the three other candidates split the remainder, preventing her from reaching a majority.

“I am just humbled and elated that so many people in Alachua County trusted me with their vote, and I feel very confident that those people are going to come out to support me again,” Ferrero said.

Groeb, a 48-year-old private-practice criminal law and civil litigation attorney, said he was a little bit disappointed in the numbers.

“Twenty points, that’s a pretty big gap, but we are definitely going to get back out there if I’m number two,” he said.

Ferrero, a 40-year-old former prosecuting attorney who most recently worked for the Alachua County traffic court as a hearing officer, acknowledged that the general election in November would have a much higher turnout but said she was sticking with her game plan.

“One of the things was a grassroots effort to touch and contact as many people as possible,” she said. “I can’t comment on who my opponent might be because it looks like it might be a little too close to call.”

Rhonda Stroman, general counsel and general manager of Jennings Development Group, received 13.79 percent of the vote.

“I was honored to have the opportunity to run and to highlight issues that were facing people in the county court,” Stroman said.

“It was a very good race. I had a good relationship with all of my other candidates, and I really wish the two that go forward the best.”

Megan Rolland can be reached at 338-3104 or megan.rolland@gvillesun.com