[APNEWS.MYWAY] Republican David Jolly defeated Democrat Alex Sink on Tuesday in a Tampa-area House district where President Barack ObamaIf you have a small business, you didn't build that...
's health care overhaul got its first test ahead of November's midterm elections and both sides spent millions auditioning national strategies.
With almost 100 percent of the vote counted, Jolly had 48.5 percent of the vote to Sink's 46.7 percent. Libertarian Lucas Overby had 4.8 percent. The election was to replace 42-year Republican Rep. CW Bill Young, who died in October of cancer, and the evenly divided district had been considered a toss-up.
| No, it was considered Democratic-leaning by most pollsters and political snipes who said that Rep. Young held the district in the R category by his long service. At the end of 2013 the Dems were rubbing their hands in glee thinking that they'd have a pick-up... |
...U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district, serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party. He proposed an alternative to President Obama's 2011 budget and made himself the target of both Democrat and Republican verbal pies...
, in addition to blanketing the district with ads, calls and mailings. More than $11 million has been spent on the race, according to the Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit group that tracks government information.
Jolly's election night headquarters in Clearwater Beach erupted into loud cheers as it became clear he was the winner. In his victory speech, Jolly simultaneously struck a conciliatory tone and expressed gratitude for his mentor, Young, and Young's family. Jolly was introduced by former "Price is Right" game show host Bob Barker, via video. Young's two adult sons were also onstage with Jolly, and he embraced them at the end of his speech.
Jolly didn't mention the issue that dominated much of the campaign - the president's health care package - and instead said that Pinellas County must work together.
"This race is not about defending a broken agenda in Washington or advancing a broken agenda in Washington. This race is about serving the people in our own community," he said. "Let's dispense with the rancor and vitriol of the last five months."
Jolly thanked Sink and Overby and said it was "OK" that tens of thousands of others voted for his opponents.
"While this campaign at times seemed to be partisan, your next congressman is not partisan," he said.
In St. Petersburg, Sink's party was subdued. Backed by her adult children, Sink began her concession speech by thanking her campaign team and the thousands of volunteers who helped her congressional bid. She spoke to a couple hundred stoic supporters in a half-empty ballroom at a lakeside Hilton in St. Petersburg.
"We know that life brings many challenges. It brings many opportunities. My values have always been to do good for my family and for my community," she said.