Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Los Angeles Times reports today that Janice Hahn defeats Craig Huey, wins House seat:
In a hard-fought special congressional election marked by sharp divisions in ideology and even sharper personal attacks, Democrat Janice Hahn defeated underdog Republican Craig Huey on Tuesday.
Unofficial election night returns showed Hahn won 54.6% to 45.4%.
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Turnout was just more than 23% but still higher than in the May 17 primary, when less than 13.8% of voters cast ballots to put Hahn and Huey in first and second place, respectively, in a 16-candidate field.
Earlier this year, the conservative political group Turn Right USA aired what could very well be the most outrageously sexist and racist ad in political history. Hahn's opponent Craig Huey publicly condemned the ad by the independent expenditure committee, but he ran on the themes contained in the ad, belying his denial of any coordination with the conservative group.
"[Huey] distributed videos of a local Fox News affiliate's 2008 report linking her to gang members — subsequently discredited by at least two other news organizations and L.A. Police Chief Charlie Beck."
Huey, 61, owner of a marketing firm and publisher of Christian voter guides, mounted a stronger-than-expected campaign, in large part by putting in more than $800,000 of his own money. He rallied Tea Party members and other conservatives and, with his cut-spending/grow-jobs message, tried to appeal to independents and others he felt were fed up with the federal government.
Hahn, 59, raised $1.3 million to Huey's nearly $1.1 million, bolstered by help from labor unions, the California Democratic Party and prominent Democratic officials. President Obama and former Presdient Bill Clinton made automated calls to voters on her behalf, and Clinton helped her raise money.
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Democrats had a videographer on hand last weekend when Huey was served a subpoena in connection with a child support dispute he had with his ex-wife.
On election day, the Hahn campaign filed complaints with authorities alleging that Huey's supporters tried to discourage hers by telling them the election had been postponed a day and giving them wrong polling place addresses. The Huey campaign denied any involvement and called the complaints a trick to improve turnout for Hahn.
On Monday, Hahn's mother died unexpectedly, causing the candidate to cut back on last-minute campaign activities.
The race is a possible harbinger of the kind of ugliness that lies ahead in the 2012 elections in the wake of Citizens United v. FEC.
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