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A political newcomer will advance to battle Giffords for House seat.
Bill Hess/Wick Communications
Now the real campaign can begin for the Congressional District 8 seat, with Republican Jesse Kelly taking the primary election. That race started out with five GOP candidates - Kelly, Andy Goss, Brian Miller, Jonathan Paton and Jay Quick.
But the GOP primary fight was really down to Kelly and Paton after Goss and Miller bowed out of the race and Quick ran a low-key campaign.
Although there were some harsh anti-Kelly ads from the Paton campaign, now that the primary fight is over, Kelly said he envisions support from Paton's people as well as independents and Democrats.
"There are many Democrats who are unhappy with Gabrielle Giffords," the Democratic congresswoman representing Congressional District 8, which includes all of Cochise County, Kelly said.
The object is to "have a unified campaign to defeat her," he said, adding that there is no bad blood between him and Paton.
While the GOP primary was hard-fought, Kelley said he sees a victory in November to bring Arizona's conservative values back to Congress.
Paton's campaign spokesman said that the former Arizona legislator conceded around 11 p.m.
Now the object of everyone is to make sure Giffords is not re-elected, Paton aide Daniel Scarpinato said.
In a press release, Paton said he promised Kelly he would do everything to help him defeat Giffords.
"There is no time for hurt feelings or egos or bickering. We must come together as Republicans, as Arizonans and as Americans. We must stop this Congress and this president and I am committed now to that goal as ever," he said.
Paton was seen as the GOP establishment candidate, and one time Kelly called him Republicans' "star-studded recruit," noting that Paton received financial support from Republican power brokers.
"I'm guessing they'll throw money at this race now," because taking the congressional district out of Democrat control is a major GOP goal nationally, Kelly said.
It is not only having a majority GOP in Congress but also what is needed "is for the Republican Party to wake up," he said last week during a final campaign swing through Sierra Vista.
Conservative values must be used in making national decisions, he said, and the Republicans can no longer lick their fingers to see which way the wind is blowing, he said.
As for Giffords, he said it will be a difficult general election.
"She's a much better campaigner," Kelly said, adding that his time in the primary pit has strengthened him to face her.
Not taking any respite from jumping directly into the campaign for the November general election, incumbent Giffords said the issues will come down to deciding whether the voters want representation that will help them or a Republican "who is more an ideologue."
Since 2006, the first year she was elected, Giffords said she has served all the constituents, regardless of their political persuasion.
As for Kelly, he wants to privatize Social Security and really wants to eliminate the program, Giffords said.
Many seniors depend on Social Security and if it had been privatized in the past, as Republicans have been wanting, the major downturn in the nation's economy would have devastated people on the program, she said.
But she is facing an ad campaign against her that she said will include attacks from a group, Americans for Prosperity, that she likens to a political slush fund of billionaire David Koch, who supports outsourcing American jobs overseas and wants to privatize Social Security.
At 4 p.m. Saturday, Giffords will be in Sierra Vista at the University of Arizona South's administrative building public meeting room to discuss the upcoming general election.
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR VOTERS
A Democrat, incumbent U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will face off against Republican Jesse Kelly, a newcomer to the political arena, for Arizona's Congressional District 8 seat in November.
Also in the general election will be Libertarian Steven Stoltz.
Following are the results of the votes cast in the 64 precincts in Cochise County:
Giffords, who was not opposed for the Democratic nomination, received 6,724 votes with 184 write-in votes.
Stoltz received 59 votes, with 9 going to write-ins in the Libertarian contest.
Kelly garnered 6,714 votes to Paton's 4,662, with 1,253 cast for Brian Miller, 228 for Jay Quick and 39 write-ins in the Republican race.
Now the real campaign can begin for the Congressional District 8 seat, with Republican Jesse Kelly taking the primary election. That race started out with five GOP candidates - Kelly, Andy Goss, Brian Miller, Jonathan Paton and Jay Quick.
But the GOP primary fight was really down to Kelly and Paton after Goss and Miller bowed out of the race and Quick ran a low-key campaign.
Although there were some harsh anti-Kelly ads from the Paton campaign, now that the primary fight is over, Kelly said he envisions support from Paton's people as well as independents and Democrats.
"There are many Democrats who are unhappy with Gabrielle Giffords," the Democratic congresswoman representing Congressional District 8, which includes all of Cochise County, Kelly said.
The object is to "have a unified campaign to defeat her," he said, adding that there is no bad blood between him and Paton.
While the GOP primary was hard-fought, Kelley said he sees a victory in November to bring Arizona's conservative values back to Congress.
Paton's campaign spokesman said that the former Arizona legislator conceded around 11 p.m.
Now the object of everyone is to make sure Giffords is not re-elected, Paton aide Daniel Scarpinato said.
In a press release, Paton said he promised Kelly he would do everything to help him defeat Giffords.
"There is no time for hurt feelings or egos or bickering. We must come together as Republicans, as Arizonans and as Americans. We must stop this Congress and this president and I am committed now to that goal as ever," he said.
Paton was seen as the GOP establishment candidate, and one time Kelly called him Republicans' "star-studded recruit," noting that Paton received financial support from Republican power brokers.
"I'm guessing they'll throw money at this race now," because taking the congressional district out of Democrat control is a major GOP goal nationally, Kelly said.
It is not only having a majority GOP in Congress but also what is needed "is for the Republican Party to wake up," he said last week during a final campaign swing through Sierra Vista.
Conservative values must be used in making national decisions, he said, and the Republicans can no longer lick their fingers to see which way the wind is blowing, he said.
As for Giffords, he said it will be a difficult general election.
"She's a much better campaigner," Kelly said, adding that his time in the primary pit has strengthened him to face her.
Not taking any respite from jumping directly into the campaign for the November general election, incumbent Giffords said the issues will come down to deciding whether the voters want representation that will help them or a Republican "who is more an ideologue."
Since 2006, the first year she was elected, Giffords said she has served all the constituents, regardless of their political persuasion.
As for Kelly, he wants to privatize Social Security and really wants to eliminate the program, Giffords said.
Many seniors depend on Social Security and if it had been privatized in the past, as Republicans have been wanting, the major downturn in the nation's economy would have devastated people on the program, she said.
But she is facing an ad campaign against her that she said will include attacks from a group, Americans for Prosperity, that she likens to a political slush fund of billionaire David Koch, who supports outsourcing American jobs overseas and wants to privatize Social Security.
At 4 p.m. Saturday, Giffords will be in Sierra Vista at the University of Arizona South's administrative building public meeting room to discuss the upcoming general election.
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR VOTERS
A Democrat, incumbent U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will face off against Republican Jesse Kelly, a newcomer to the political arena, for Arizona's Congressional District 8 seat in November.
Also in the general election will be Libertarian Steven Stoltz.
Following are the results of the votes cast in the 64 precincts in Cochise County:
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| How Legislative District 25 votes went | How Cochise County voted in Senate bids |
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