GOP Candidate Wins Special Election In Arizona, But Result Gives Rise To More Fears Of Blue Wave
Republican Debbie Lesko defeated her Democratic rival by 5 percentage points, 52 -47, in a US congressional district Donald Trump won in 2016 by 21 points. The suburban district west of Phoenix is considered one of the most conservative in the red state of Arizona, and the small win is considered a very bad sign for the GOP in the nationwide congressional mid term elections.
Conservative pundit William Kristol told Morning Joe this morning that the Arizona result indicates that the Democrats will likely retake both the House and the Senate.
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WASHINGTON — Republican Debbie Lesko won an Arizona congressional special election Tuesday over her Democratic rival, Hiral Tipirneni, NBC News projected.
Tipirneni declined to concede the race, saying outstanding votes made it too close to call.
Lesko held a 52.6 percent to 47.4 percent lead over Tiperneni, or 91,390 votes to 82,316 — an Republican advantage of 9,072 votes, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, according to the Arizona secretary of state's office.
That margin may concern Republicans. President Donald Trump carried the district in the conservative Western Phoenix suburbs by 21 percentage points, and its previous occupant, Trent Franks, a Republican, ran unopposed.
Franks resigned the seat last year in a sexual harassment scandal.
But Tipirneni , a former emergency room physician, did better than many had expected against Lesko, a former state senator who is on the board of the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council.
Regardless of the outcome, "people are looking at CD8 in a very different light tonight," Tiperneni said, referring to the 8th Congressional District.
"And that's because something is happening here," she said. "What it comes down to is we knew our community and our districts and our neighborhoods a hell of a lot better than our pundits did."
Republicans had pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into Arizona's 8th Congressional District to avoid another embarrassing defeat after losses in Pennsylvania , Alabama and Virginia .
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More evidence that Trumpism will drag the Republican Party into the abyss.
Reminds me of the leftists that claimed the Republicans were focused on downballot elections in 2016 because there was no chance of Trump winning.
Lesko won fair and square ant that is all that really matters in the end.
Blue Wave
I am not so sure John. The Dems have yet come up with a platform to run on at this point. If they hope to wrest this away from the GOP they had better come up with something soon. If come November, the economy is humming along, employment stays up and inflation down people may not see the need for change.
I speak only for myself, but I have grown weary of the same old dregs that are paraded before us each election cycle from both parties and being forced to choose from the same septic tank.
Beyond the time for a viable common sense third party, I'll put thought in my pipe of dreams tonight.
They will use the same old platform they been standing on for years. Theft and redistribution it’s all they have.
It depends on how much you dislike Trumpism and want it gone. A third party at this point could help keep him in power. It bothers me a little that people who profess to be anti-Trump will consider voting, out of 'principle', in a way that will help him.
Personally, I was tired of his ass 2 1/2 years ago.
Coming from the Northeast, I have been weary of him since the seventies when he first reared his head.
But I will maintain that if the Dems hope to win, then they had better come up with a plan and platform to do so. Not being Trump doesn't make it.
In truth the AZ. special election should scare the daylights out of the Dem.s . Over 80% of the ballots cast were mailed in weeks ago. Despite Tipirneni raising more funds and spending more than Lesko. Democrats didn't get out and vote. The RNC has thrown a lot of money Lesko's way, most of which has been saved for the quickly upcoming Primary and General elections.
There is a small but realistic chance that Tipirneni may not be the candidate in November. We have a growing liberal base here in Arizona. I think that is a good thing. It is a base that isn't as radical as the candidates the DNC are putting up. The more her life becomes public the worse it becomes. Being a major player in the Clinics that operate on the premise that illegals should be given free medical care at the expense of taxpayers doesn't sit well.
IMO neither of these candidates should be in the House. This race was supposed to be hotly contested with the Nation's attention focused sharply. The final percentages give the illusion of Democratic gain but with a lower turnout than was even expected they didn't gain squat. Couldn't even pull it off despite the fact that the Republicans also had an exceptionally low turnout. This election was decided by votes that were mailed in before all the political ads ever hit the airwaves.
Celebrate if you must, but it is a false celebration with no basis.
The Democrats have a real problem generating votes, as well as in this election, the liberal media was totally worthless.
So much for this "Blue Wave" thingy being bantered about by Liberal Media.
in case one forgets..... Republican Debbie Lesko...... WON !