Posted on 04/12/2006 7:33:41 AM PDT by cold666pack
Harman defeats Harkey in 35th District Harman will be strong favorite in June 6 election.
Assemblyman Tom Harman held on to a razor-thin lead to defeat Dana Point Councilwoman Diane Harkey in the bitterly fought contest to fill the vacant 35th state Senate District seat.
With votes from all 723 precincts tabulated, Harman bested Harkey by 530 votes. Harman will face Democrat Larry Caballero in a June 6 general election because he didn't receive more than 50 percent of the vote required to win the race outright.
Harkey had expected to get off to a strong start, thanks to an aggressive absentee-ballot campaign. But those hopes were dashed when the absentee results – released just after polls closed Tuesday night – gave Harman a small edge.
"We’re pretty excited, pretty optimistic," said Harman, 64, an attorney, who held an election-night party at his Huntington Beach home. “I think voters are showing that they want somebody they know, somebody who’s been up there (in Sacramento), somebody who’s experienced.”
Harkey was far from resigned before the final vote tally was announced.
"It’s going to be a nail biter – I think we’re not going to know for a couple of days," said Harkey, a former banker.
Harkey, 54, had her party at the Tentation Ultra Lounge in Newport Beach.
"I’d hoped it was all going to be over tonight one way or the other, but nothing comes easy. Considering where we started three months ago, I think we’re doing really well."
The race between Harkey and Harman saw more than a dozen attack mailers. Harman got a $300,000 boost in mailers sent out by labor unions and the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, while Harkey spent more than $700,000 of her own money in compiling the larger war chest.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
Diane is anti-tax increases, Harmon's not. Harkey had republicans supporting her, Harmon had union money. Harkey is cute & perky, Harmon's an old ugly lawyer. Just to name a few.
Harkin was endorsed by several conservative groups.
Harman is a RINO... voted FOR the tripling of the gas tax, voted FOR easing the rules allowing the state government to raise taxes, sided WITH the Dems on a couple of budget votes. All you needed to know about him was that he received a bundle of campaign contributions from State Employee Unions.
Harman got his State Assembly seat the same way he's getting this State Senate seat... through an open primary, which essentially allows the Donks to select which GOP candidate will win the primary, and the election in this safe GOP area.
Bad news, the RINO won. I supported Harkey and even had a beverage a her party early last night.
Harkey was the only candidate to declare opposition to abortion.
Harman is Democrat who lacks the integrity to run as one.
Bad news indeed. very bad news. I am not at all happy about this, and it only gets worse, s wife is running for his assembly seat now. Maybe it's just me, but it really bothers me when couples make public service a family business. i know, there's some solid couple's both elected, The Runners are fantastc. But Harmon's wife running for his seat just makes me wanna puke. Are there no good republicans in this district? I bet he helps fnd her campaign. ugh....
This is a highly Republican district. Harman uses the following ingredients to win his quirky victories:
Open primary.
Get hardcore Dems to vote for Harman.
Union money {lots of it}.
Split the Republican vote.
Slime the Republican opponent.
Go to Sacramento and vote Democratic just as promised.
Says a lot about those that keep voting him in don't ya think?
Registration and Turnout
Completed Precincts: 723 of 723
STATE SENATOR 35th District
Vote Count Percentage
TOM HARMAN (REP) 34160 38.8%
DIANE HARKEY (REP) 33630 38.2%
LARRY CABALLERO (DEM) 20210 23.0%
Reg/Turnout Percentage
Total Registered Voters 513832
Precinct Registration 513832
Precinct Ballots Cast 25040 4.9%
Absentee Ballots Cast 63585 12.4%
Total Ballots Cast 88625 17.2%
http://www.oc.ca.gov/election/Live/35thSenP/results.htm
Are you kiddinmeg? Only 17.2% of those registered to vote did so? If I am reading that right, that is really a pathetic voter turnout, and they, I am sad to say, deserve someone like Harmon.
I read it the same way. And most of those were absentee.
Less than 5% of registered voters went to the polls.
I'm hearing that there are still 10,000 uncounted absentee ballots, and that they will be tabulated and added to the total at 5pm today... so there's still a chance that Harkey can pull ahead of Harman (albeit slim).
unbelievable. Those numbers actually make me feel better about Harkey's loss. I doubt it'll make her feel better, but something is wrong with that community. less than 1 in 5 voted?
When my wife and I voted at my precinct at around 6:30, the polling station was completely empty and the polling workers said "Hey, here comes two whole people... it's a stampede!". When I signed the voter roll, my wife's and my signature were the only two on the entire page.
very very sad. I mean I know people are busy, that's why absentee ballots are so encouraged, but I don't think I have ever heard of such a pathetic turnout. Compare to San Diego's 50th - i think voter turnout was like over 50% or something.
That would be good news. The San Diego website for the Bilbray/Busby et al race cites that they have 10,000 absentee ballots outstanding.
http://www.sdvote.org/election/special.xml
"There are approximately 10000 Absentee / Provisional ballots still to be counted "
Total Votes 127,841 Registered 359,863 Percent Turnout 35.50% Votes from: http://www.sdvote.org/election/special.xml Registration from: http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ror/154_2006/congressional.pdf
ugh, you're right. 35% is not that good. I can only hope that improves in June.
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