The Last Race Standing: Sarah Compton Makes Her Case

As Key West’s only outstanding City Commission race this cycle nears its conclusion, I checked in with Sarah Compton, the top vote-getter in August’s District IV primary, who advanced to a runoff against Wayne Garcia.

The winner will succeed Commissioner Lissette Carey, who chose not to seek a second term after four years on the dais that included an unsuccessful recall effort.

Below is a lightly edited conversation with Compton, who struck a calm but confident note ahead of tomorrow’s decision.

What do you think at this point voters still misunderstand about the choice between you and your opponent?

Well, I think that the biggest misunderstanding is voters worry that my vote is already made up, that I am beholden to anyone other than them. And it just isn't the case. I am here for the voters. It's why I've spent so much time making sure that they are educated on what issues are coming up and why I've spent so much time going and talking to them door to door to find out what their priorities are so that I can build initiatives based on that and understand what it is that is most important to them.

How would you rate yourself in terms of achieving that goal, not just of doing the homework, but communicating to a public that often is not tuned into the nitty gritty of what candidates are doing?

I would say pretty well. I think that we have reached a lot more voters than are typically reached. I've talked to so many people, for who it's the first time they've ever had a candidate come to their door and speak to them, or they haven't seen that in years and years. And so I think that our outreach is fantastic. I really am proud of it.

What does your opponent fundamentally misunderstand about Key West or this job?

I definitely wouldn't venture to say that he misunderstands anything about Key West. But as far as the job, I don't know that he knows how much work it is to be a great representative because that takes so much time and I've been putting in that time and I haven't seen the same work from my opponent.

What changes about this city commission depending on which of you occupies the seventh seat? What's the most fundamental change that will come about from your race?

It will be that there is either a driving force on the commission or there is a, how should I say it? A kind of responsive force where my opponent tends to be more responsive to things, whereas I am more of a pusher and a driver.

Is there anything about your opponent or even this race that you've been too polite to say publicly until now?

I don't think so. I mean, my opponent is —he's a good guy and he is a good businessman. He's a great artist. He's a sweet guy. I like Wayne. I have absolutely no issue with Wayne. I just think that we bring very different things to the table in this election.

If you lose tomorrow, what do you think will be the biggest reason?

If I lose tomorrow, it's certainly not for any lack of work or us doing anything wrong, I don't think, in this campaign. I think that it would just be that they would rather have maybe someone who was born here. And then at that point, there's nothing I can do to change where I was born.

If you do win tomorrow, what do you think voters would have been telling your opponent?

That they wanted somebody who is doing the work and who is listening to them and who is building everything for this position off of their voices.