CA: O.C. State Senate Race Still Tight - Harman narrowly leads Harkey in GOP photo finish

Los Angeles Times ^ | April 13, 2006 | Jean O. Pasco

[calcowgirl]

Huntington Beach Assemblyman Tom Harman was clinging to a 289-vote lead over a fellow Republican on Wednesday in the race for an Orange County state Senate seat.

Harman had 38.8% of the vote in unofficial results posted at 5 p.m. Dana Point Councilwoman Diane Harkey had 38.5%. Democrat Larry Caballero, the third candidate on the ballot, drew 22.7%.

(snip)

Hart said the campaign would ask for an official recount if the margin stayed as slim or narrowed with about 650 provisional ballots expected to be counted Friday. Provisional ballots are those cast by voters unsure whether they were registered or had voted absentee.

Harman managed to eke out his lead, supporters said, after assembling a coalition of Republicans, Democrats and other voters who responded to his message of opposing tax increases while supporting environmental protection.

Wednesday's count stunned the county's Republican establishment, who had backed Harkey en masse with endorsements and money. The backing was driven by enmity toward Harman, who angered conservatives in 1998 when he won his seat in the state's only open primary, where voters of all parties could choose among every candidate.

Harman's apparent win doesn't necessarily mean that the county's conservatives have lost their grip on primary elections, said UC Irvine political science professor Mark Petracca. Harkey was backed by nearly every state and federal lawmaker in Orange County but had an uphill climb against Harman's incumbency and familiarity with voters.

Harman was helped in the final weeks of the campaign by at least $220,000 worth of brochures mailed from the union of state prison guards, which praised him for being strong on law-enforcement issues. Critics said the union was rewarding Harman for supporting pay and pension hikes.

[calcowgirl]

The special election was called after John Campbell was elected to the House of Representatives in December to fill a seat vacated by Christopher Cox, now chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

[calcowgirl]

Here is the current count from the OC Website:

Registration and Turnout  
Completed Precincts: 723 of 723  
                         Reg/Turnout    Percentage
Total Registered Voters     513832   
Precinct Registration       513832   
Precinct Ballots Cast        25040        4.9%  
Absentee Ballots Cast        72654       14.1%  
Total Ballots Cast           97694       19.0%  

STATE SENATOR 35th District  
                            Vote Count  Percentage
TOM HARMAN (REP)             37608       38.8%  
DIANE HARKEY (REP)           37319       38.5%  
LARRY CABALLERO (DEM)        22049       22.7%  

[calcowgirl]

It still ain't over! Ping

[samadams2000]

Which one wants to frog march illegals back the border?

[cold666pack]

what? it's a nailbiter all of a sudden? I will keep my fingers crossed that all of those absentee ballots are from good ole R's smart enough to vote for Harkey. Thanks for the ping!

[TatieBug]

Is this close enough or what? Looks like only 289 between the 2...do you think Harkey will call for a recount if she loses in the end?

[CounterCounterCulture]

Harman was helped in the final weeks of the campaign by at least $220,000 worth of brochures mailed from the union of state prison guards, which praised him for being strong on law-enforcement issues. Critics said the union was rewarding Harman for supporting pay and pension hikes.

Yes, more left-wingers influencing the Republican Party by picking the most leftist useful-idiot Republican. When are the people going to wake from their slumber?

[ncountylee]

Which one wants to frog march illegals back the border?

Harman is a RINO. Harkey will serve my district not sell out.

[calcowgirl]

She made a lot of ground, cutting the prior 0.6% lag by 1/2, but that was with 9000 votes. It doesn't look likely that she'll be able to make up the difference with only 650 votes left to count. The LA Times said she will ask for a recount, the OC Register says they won't rule it out. Never a dull moment!


http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/abox/article_1100104.php

Narrow gap in 35th Senate District race
With 650 ballots to count, Harman leads Harkey by 289 votes.
By MARTIN WISCKOL
The Orange County Register

Tom Harman lost ground but remained barely ahead with Wednesday's updated count in the ongoing drama of the 35th Senate District race.

Harman, who led by 530 votes after Tuesday's Election Day tally, saw that margin shrink to 289 votes after about 9,000 absentee ballots were counted Wednesday.

With about 650 ballots left to count, opponent Diane Harkey and her campaign were holding out hope - and not ruling out a recount.

"We'd have to win by more than 2-1 on the ballots, but we're not giving up," said Harkey campaign manager Scott Hart. He said that cutting further into Harman's lead would make a recount more likely. "We have to see how things pan out tomorrow."

(snip)