MICHAEL PISTELLA Former District 1 Councilmember Gloria Tate congratulates newly elected District 1 Councilmember Kenneth “Marty” McClain after his win Tuesday. More photos are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

Kenneth “Marty” McClain defeated Jim Martin to win the Cape Coral City Council District 1 seat Tuesday night.

McClain garnered 8,637 votes for 52 percent, while Martin pulled 7,823 votes for 48 percent.

McClain was already looking ahead to his first council meeting on Monday, when he would be sworn in.

He said there is a “laundry list” of things he would have to learn as a new council member, but he emphasized that there is no time to waste.

“We don’t have time to be stagnant,” McClain said. “We need to immediately get down to business … we have to find jobs, we have to put people back to work.”

Susan Dahlgren, right, hugs Lisa McClain, wife of newly elected District 1 councilmember Marty McClain after his win Tuesday. Dahlgren’s husband Les was McClain co-campaign manager. More photos are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

He said endorsements from the unions, the firefighters and the construction industry helped him win what was a close race.

McClain added that his contacts within the construction industry – and the confidence those people put in him – will help the city start moving on projects and finding people those jobs he mentioned.

“The purpose is to move the city forward, and that’s my goal,” he said. “Other than shovel-ready projects, we need to get some shovels in the ground.”

It was a close race, one that both candidates felt carried over from their campaigns.

Each complimented the other on handling things in a professional manner.

Martin said that regardless of the outcome, a message was sent to the city that serious changes need to be made.

He praised McClain for running a clean race, and he said the new council will have to focus on reducing taxes, cutting spending and making some changes to city staff.

Martin added that while people said he was part of a slate of candidates that included John Sullivan, Chris N. Chulakes-Leetz and John F. Cataldi Jr., he always stood on his own.

“I was beholden to no one,” he said. “And if anyone thought I was, then they didn’t know me.”