Monroe County Chief Assistant Public Defender Kevin McCarthy Announces Run for Judge

Kevin McCarthy, chief assistant public defender in the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office, announced his candidacy for County Court Judge, Group 2 in a contributed Keys Weekly item published Feb. 19, 2026. The seat is being vacated by Judge Mark Wilson, who is running to succeed the retiring Judge Mark Jones as circuit court judge.

The Keys Weekly item lists the nonpartisan election for County Court Judge, Group 2 as taking place on Aug. 18. The article did not provide additional election-calendar details or list other declared candidates for Group 2 in the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit.

McCarthy’s campaign filing follows a public defender career that began in Monroe County in 2011. Keys Weekly reports he was promoted to chief assistant public defender in 2017 by Public Defender Robert Lockwood and that he has “in his more than 14 years of service, McCarthy has represented clients in thousands of cases, ranging from misdemeanors to the most serious felonies.”

The contributed announcement highlights McCarthy’s specialized credentials. Keys Weekly states he is “one of only a small number of attorneys in Monroe County qualified to serve in death-penalty proceedings,” that “as chief assistant public defender, he has supervised, mentored and trained dozens of attorneys,” and that “he is certified to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.” The article also notes his academic work: “Since 2015, he has taught criminal justice courses at St. Leo University, helping numerous service members and law enforcement professionals complete their college degrees.”

McCarthy provided a brief statement in the Keys Weekly piece: “I am deeply honored to seek this position and committed to continuing to serve the people of Monroe County with fairness, integrity and respect for the rule of law,” McCarthy said.

A longtime resident of the Florida Keys, Keys Weekly reports McCarthy is married to local attorney Tiffany Curry and that they are the parents of two children. The article appears on the Keys Weekly site among local features such as community sports and business items and is labeled “Contributed.”

To avoid confusion with a namesake, a different Kevin McCarthy is running for Polk County Attorney in Iowa; that individual represented Des Moines in the Iowa House from 2003 until 2013 and is a separate person from the Monroe County candidate. Keys Weekly’s announcement of the Monroe County candidacy did not outline campaign issues or a platform beyond McCarthy’s stated commitment to fairness and the rule of law. Voters seeking the full election schedule, qualifying deadlines and a list of candidates for County Court Judge, Group 2 should consult Monroe County election officials as the August contest approaches.