An incumbent Wildwood commissioner has defeated a Villager who enjoyed the financial backing of The Villages.
Longtime Commissioner Julian Green won re-election Tuesday night to the Group 5 seat on the Wildwood Commission.
Green, a Wildwood native, collected 53.39 percent of the vote, besting Village of Linden resident Phil Montalvo who got 46.61 percent of the ballots cast.
Montalvo, an attorney and a Community Development District 12 supervisor, had enjoyed the financial backing of the Developer of The Villages and significantly out raised Green. Montalvo’s pitch to voters was the need for stronger representation of The Villages on the Wildwood Commission.
Green, a graduate of Wildwood High School, had the endorsement of the Property Owners of The Villages.
Montalvo ran strongest in precincts based at the Ezell, Everglades and Riverbend recreation centers.
Green picked up 72 percent of the votes cast at the Wildwood Community Center, but also dominated in precincts in the Eisenhower and SeaBreeze recreation centers.
