He was trying to win a vacant seat Tuesday on the city commission where his wife, Evelyn, the city's former mayor, has sat for the past eight years. Eustis is 32 miles northwest of Downtown Orlando.

Deputy property appraiser Frank Royce beat Smith by 334 votes. A total 1,368 ballots or 16% of the registered 8,658 votes were cast in the special election. The city's permanent population is 16,000.

Smith couldn't be reached for comment at GlobeSt.com's deadline but a representative at his office tells GlobeSt.com the contractor would "keep on trying" to win a commission seat at future elections.

Smith's company has won numerous multimillion-dollar contracts over the years at the area's resorts and theme parks. Lake Mechanical handles plumbing, air conditioning, heating and ventilation jobs.

Royce's campaign group tells GlobeSt.com the deputy appraiser based his campaign entirely on the negative perception a husband-wife commissioner team would make to the public.

Florida's Sunshine Law on Open Government forbids elected city, county and state officials from discussing government business outside the public chambers.

A Smith campaign worker says that would be difficult to do in any husband-wife relationship.