Posted on 04/11/2006 12:16:46 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN DIEGO - Eighteen candidates in a solidly GOP district on the Southern California coast competed in a special election Tuesday for the congressional seat once held by Randy "Duke" Cunningham, now in prison for bribery.
Brian Bilbray, a former congressman-turned-lobbyist who was the choice of the GOP establishment; Republican businessman Eric Roach, who spent $1.8 million of his own money; and Democrat Francine Busby were considered the front-runners.
Cunningham represented the House district from 1993 until he resigned in disgrace late last year. In March, the former Vietnam War fighter ace was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for taking $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors.
Tuesday's race had a wide-open ballot, with 14 Republicans, two Democrats, one Libertarian and one independent. If no one got more than 50 percent of the vote, the top finisher from each party would compete in a runoff June 6.
The winner will serve out the remaining eight months of Cunningham's term, and will almost certainly try to hold on to the seat come November.
Republicans outnumber Democrats 3-to-2 in the wealthy district.
If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, the top finisher from each party competes in a June 6 contest, the same day as the primary for the midterm congressional elections.
An outright winner Tuesday or, more likely, the winner of the June contest takes a seat in Congress for the remaining eight months of Cunningham's term — and likely immediately begins campaigning to hold on to the seat come November.
With the GOP field crowded, Democrats hoped that Busby, who ran and lost to Cunningham in 2004, could score an upset, a prospect that her own campaign acknowledged was unlikely.
Voters faced an onslaught of negative campaign mailers and TV ads in the final hours before heading to the polls.
Bilbray, a surfer and one-time lifeguard, was attacked in a mailer from the California Republican Assembly, a grass-roots conservative group, that called Bilbray "a Democrat posing as a Republican."
The Bilbray campaign attacked Roach as a mystery man trying to buy an election. "His political campaign ads and mailers are everywhere. But until a few months ago, no one had ever heard of him," Bilbray's mailer said.
Former state Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian's campaign attempted to recover from an embarrassing misstep. Internet bloggers discovered that photos on his campaign Web site purportedly showing a tranquil Iraqi street scene had been taken in Istanbul, Turkey. The photos were removed.
With the GOP field busy attacking itself, national Republicans poured some $300,000 during the campaign's final week into TV ads criticizing Busby for accepting donations from lobbyists. A mailer from national Republicans claimed that the school board member and self-described soccer mom had voted to lay off teachers in 2003.
Busby retaliated by noting that Cunningham had given $2,000 of his campaign funds to national Republicans before he headed off to prison.
Another key will having the voters for the two conservative candidates not stay home.
I think the two points are contradictory. You want exactly one conservative on the ballot, to help turn out conservatives, so that Bilbray wins the special over Busby.
The primary can go either way, it doesn't matter, no Dem is going to win here in November.
Pot - kettle - black
Brian is one of the few I have wanted to win as he would have a better chance against a Dem.
I knew him when he was a County Supervisor before he was elected to congress the first time.
I was working with the County Attys.
Sorry left the thread for a bit. I was on local NBC
You might try sign on san diego.
Your local stations should have web sites also.
STATE SENATOR 35th District
Registration and Turnout
Completed Precincts: 279 of 723
Reg/Turnout Percentage
Total Registered Voters 513832
Precinct Registration 513832
Precinct Ballots Cast 9878 1.9%
Absentee Ballots Cast 63585 12.4%
Total Ballots Cast 73463 14.3%
STATE SENATOR 35th District
Vote Count Percentage
TOM HARMAN (REP) 28020 38.4%
DIANE HARKEY (REP) 27581 37.8%
LARRY CABALLERO (DEM) 17305 23.7%
Brian versus the democrat?
Thanks much...can watch both on the same screen...can't believe only .6% difference between H & H...
yup. Now to get the repos out in June.
Brian is not a total conservtive but I don't want a Dem. majority in congress.
Busby is funded by the major libs.
OK. Thanks.
Now I can go happily to bed.
Some conservatives made the same mistake with Alphonse D'amato, who-regardless of his many flaws-was in no way, shape, or form a Rockefeller Republican.
Of course they are and how many live in the district?
Brian Bilbray would have gotten my vote. I know he got my son's vote who lives in the district.
When Brian was last in Congress, he was my Congressman.
Bilbray first appeared on my radar about 15 years ago. I've never liked the guy.
I will withhold my vote in June for filling out the current term for the 50th.
So is he your brother? Your dad? Uncle? Son? Cousin? You sure seem to adore Brian Bilbray.
No reason to put down those who don't agree with your choice of a candidate. It is really poor manners. Just make your case that you think Bilbray is a useful idiot for the Left or whatever, and leave it at that.
I'll vote in the June primary but I won't vote for Busby or Bilbray to finish out Duke's term. Neither is worth a bucket of night crawlers.
Thus proving your point to Elk Grove Dan the other night.
Bilbray is for anwr drilling at least.
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