The AZ Secretary of State has just released the latest election returns from today’s special election for CD 8 U.S. House, to replace injured Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who resigned on January 25, 2012. Elections returns are from four counties: Cochise, Pinal, Pima, and Santa Cruz.

Ron Barber has won this race with 50.18% of the 414,494 registered voters being reported so far. Jesse Kelly reportedly conceded about 9:30 p.m.

For updates on the SOS website go to http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AZ/37946/85735/en/summary.html. Website says that 100 % of the precincts have reported, but that does not likely include the provisional ballots cast on election day.

Ron Barber

Jesse Kelly

Democrat Ron Barber, Giffords’ District Director of her Tucson office (5 years) ran for this seat with Giffords’ endorsement, against Republican Jesse Kelly who lost to Giffords for this seat in Nov. 2010, by 4156 votes.

Kelly won the Republican special primary for this race on April 17, 2012 over 3 others — LD 30 State Senator Frank Antenori (who had previously run unsuccessfully for this seat in 2006), and political newcomers Martha McSally and Dave Sitton. Green Party candidate Charlie Manolakis also ran.

Results:

Ron Barber (D) 108,260 52.08%
Jesse Kelly (R) 94,209 45.32%
Charlie Manolakis (G) 4751 2,29%

The winner of today’s special election will be sworn in to the U.S. Congress shortly and will serve the unexpired term through early January, 2013. CD 8 will no longer exist in the next Congress, with newly reapportioned CD 2 replacing most of it. The primary for new CD 2 is on August 28 and these are the candidates officially seeking that position to date (subject to change after today’s results):

Democrats:
Ron Barber, newly elected Congressman in special CD 8 House race
Dr. Matt Heinz, LD 28 State House Rep. (2 terms)

Republicans:
Jesse Kelly, has ran twice for CD 8 House, & lost in Nov. 2010 and June 2012; withdrawn from this race on 6/14/12
Mark Koskiniemi, a political newcomer
Martha McSally, lost to Kelly in the April 17, 2012 special primary for CD 8 (came in 2nd in the four way race)

Congratulations to Ron Barber for his victory tonight.

Stay tuned for final unofficial results once all precincts have reported, including provisional ballots.

Ron Barber

The Arizona Daily Star, The Tucson Weekly, and The Arizona Republic newspapers have all endorsed Democrat Ron Barber for the vacant U.S.House seat in CD 8 (which encompasses parts of Cochise, Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz Counties).

–The Tucson Weekly article on May 17 (click here), “Voters should pick trusted public servant Ron Barber to complete Gabrielle Giffords’ term”

–The Arizona Republic article on May 19 (click here), “Barber provides steady centrism district needs”

–The Arizona Daily Star article on May 27 (click here), “Barber for CD8: centrist, mature leadership on complex issues”

Congressional District 8 has been without a representative in the U.S.House since Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords resigned from the seat she held for 5 years, on January 25, 2012. She had been shot once in the head on January 8, 2011 and resigned to focus on her recovery.

The special primary for that CD 8 race was held on April 17, and 3 nominees emerged from that election: Ron Barber (D), Jesse Kelly (R), and Charlie Manolakis (G). Barber faced no opposition, Kelly defeated LD 30 State Senator Frank Antenori and political newcomers Martha McSally and Dave Sitton. Manolakis defeated write-in candidate Richard Grayson.

Kelly is the only one who has run for political office before, having won the Republican primary in August, 2010 for this same seat, defeating former LD 30 State Senator Jonathan Paton, political newcomer Brian Miller and perennial candidate Jay Quick. He then lost to 2 term incumbentCongresswoman Giffords by 4156 votes in November, 2012.

Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (and her retired astronaut husband Mark Kelly) have both endorsed Ron Barber, who was her District Director in Tucson for 5 years, and was also shot twice on January 8, 2011 in the Tucson Tragedy. (Mark Kelly is not related to Jesse Kelly).

Early voting began on May 17 for the special general election on June 12. Early ballots are being returned at a record rate. 187,614 early ballots were mailed out in Pima County, and CD 8 has 424,718 registered voters per AZ Secretary of State’s report of 3/1/12.

For a May 16 online debate/forum between the 3 candidates, log onto PBS-HD 6 (click here for my previous blog).

Democrat Ron Barber & Republican Jesse Kelly have prevailed in the Special Election for the vacant CD 8 House seat. Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords resigned from this seat on January 25, 2012 setting into motion this special primary election and the June 12 special general election. Giffords was shot in the head on January 8, 2011 and is still recovering in Houston, Texas.

352 precincts have reported completely. See Secretary of State’s website: http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AZ/37929/78541/en/summary.html

Ron Barber

Jesse Kelly

Barber, Giffords’s former Tucson District Director for 5 years, ran unopposed and got 42,801 votes. Barber was also shot twice on January 8, 2011 in front of that Safeway at Ina/Oracle, and now walks with a limp.

Charlie Manolakis of Tucson, a Green Party candidate prevailed with 113 votes in their primary, easily defeating write-in candidate Richard Grayson of Apache Junction. According to the Pima County Recorder’s Office, Manolakis has been registered as a Democrat since September 1979, and only became a Green on March 12, 2012.

In the heated Republican primary where four candidates ran, here’s the latest results from the Arizona Secretary of State:

LD 30 State Senator Frank Antenori 15,732 (21.88%)
Jesse Kelly 25,679 (35.71%)
Martha McSally 17,943 (24.95%)
Dave Sitton 12,261 (17.05%)

There are 414,694 registered voters in CD 8 (Cochise, Pinal, Pima, Santa Cruz Counties), voter turnout was at 27.92%. Stay tuned for any updates.

Charlie Manolakis