Kim Amontree is running for the District 4 seat on the Charlotte County Commission.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY KIM AMONTREE
PORT CHARLOTTE — Kim Amontree Tuesday won the primary election for District 4 of the Charlotte County Commission with 61% of votes.
Stephen R. Deutsch will remain in the position until November.
Amontree said the election went better than she expected.
“I’m just ready to get to work and focus on the issues people care about,” Amontree said.
Amontree said the three main areas of concern she will address as a commissioner is population growth, road treatment, water capacity and area affordability.
“Listening and learning is the first thing I plan on doing,” Amontree said. “I went to a MSBU meeting to learn as much as I can in the next three months.”
Amontree was a member of the Charlotte County School Board. During her time in the school system, the district went from being ranked 48th among Florida’s 67 counties to 21st and received its first “A” rating in 15 years.
“This was accomplished with board members and a superintendent with a common goal,” Amontree said. “Nobody operates alone. You have to have the relation, trust, and respect of fellow commissioners as well as other elected officials and congressmen in Washington D.C.”
Amontree said she wishes Deutsch well in retirement from the Charlotte County Commission.
Deutsch said he thought it would be a much closer race than it was.
Charlotte County Commissioner Stephen R. Deutsch speaks on Monday during a Memorial Day ceremony in Punta Gorda at the Vietnam Memorial Wall of Southwest Florida.
SUN PHOTO BY DANIEL FINTON
“There was a strong anti-incumbent feeling in the state regardless of how we may have been,” Deutsch said.
Deutsch believes a lot of his supporters were registered as non-party affiliates.
“In hindsight, we could have worked with them to switch over for the election, but I’m not sure if it would be enough votes to make a difference,” Deutsch said.
Deutsch said his campaign focused on hard work and accessibility.
“I’m the only commissioner in Charlotte County that never missed a meeting or vote,” Deutsch said. “I was in the office this morning, and I will continue to work my best until the day my successor is sworn in.”
Commissioner Stephen R. Deutsch gave campaign volunteers water at Myakka River Elementary. He said {span}everyone involved in his campaign were composed of volunteers.{/span}
PHOTO BY NICOLE DROEGER
Deutsch said he is proud of the development and utilization of the William R. Gaines Jr. Memorial Park.
“I appreciate the hundreds of people that came out and support us,” Deutsch said.
Deutsch plans to continue to work for the county however he can. He will also spend time with his family and attend his son’s upcoming wedding.
Deutsch left Amontree a voicemail on Tuesday to congratulate her.
“You said you would win the election and work hard to win the election,” Deutsch told Amontree. “You did what you said, and I complement you on that.”
Deutsch is unhappy with Amontree’s campaign efforts.
“You said you would run a clean campaign, like I always have,” Deutsch told Amontree. ”You ran the dirtiest, sleaziest, most underhanded campaign in Charlotte County. I wish you the best of luck.”
Amontree said she would call Deutsch back on Thursday.
The general elections in November will determine who will officially take District 4.
Amontree is running against Michael Melton, who is non-party affiliated.
Deutsch said Melton seems like a nice person.
“He has some experience and some background,” Deutsch said. “The problem is she can raise half-a-million dollars, and she has the connections that she may raise another half-million.”
Amontree said she had nothing to say about Melton.
“That’s a good sign for an election,” Amontree said.
The 2026 Florida general election will take place on Nov. 3.