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Speier seals primary deal
Garners 92 percent of the vote to keep U.S. House seat
June 4, 2008
By Sarah Frier / Daily News Correspondent
Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, had raked in an overwhelming 92 percent of the Democratic vote by 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, setting her up to defend her seat in the U.S. House of Representatives this fall.
Speier replaced 12th District Congressman Tom Lantos in an April special election following his death in February. Tuesday's primary was for the next two-year term, which begins January 2009.
Republican Greg Conlon will face Speier for the spot in Congress in November. As of 11:30 p.m., he had won 65 percent of his party's vote.
Speier's campaign manager, Alex Tourk, said Tuesday's win reflects more than voter approval of her brief show in Congress.
"It's part of a 30-year career of accomplishments and she's someone that they know and trust," Tourk said.
Of Speier's win, Democratic opponent Robert Barrows said, "mazel tov, good for her."
Although he plans on supporting his party's candidate, Barrows said he still thinks Speier isn't right for the job.
"I can't tell you any brilliant things she has said during this campaign, any motivating or inspiring things that she's promised to do," said Barrows, who had received less than 3 percent of the vote as of 11:30 p.m.
On the Republican side, Conlon said he plans to run a "credible campaign," and that voters will have to decide whose policy stands they support. Conlon said his views are opposite Speier's, and that he mainly wants to balance the budget without raising taxes.
"It's not 'American Idol,'" he said. "We're not voting for the person who's most liked or most nice-looking."
Republican Mike Moloney, who has run for the seat several times, had received just 35 percent of the vote as of 11:30 p.m. He could not be reached for comment.
Even though November's election looks easy for Speier, Tourk said she won't soften her campaign strategy.
"In politics you never take anything for granted," he said. "Campaigns are about door-to-door, person-to-person connections."
Conlon acknowledged she'll be tough to beat.
"I've got my work cut out for me," he said.
Also on the fall ballot will be Libertarian Kevin Peterson, Green Barry Hermanson and Peace and Freedom Party nominee Nathalie Hrizi, all of whom ran unopposed in Tuesday's primary.
An apparent glitch surfaced Tuesday in election results posted on the Secretary of State's Web site. For most of the night, Barrows was leading Speier with 70 percent of the vote, though San Mateo County Elections Manager David Tom said those results were incorrect.
"The Secretary of State's Web site is updated later than ours," said Tom, adding that his staff was working to figure out the reason for the discrepancy. The discrepancy had been fixed as of midnight.
E-mail Sarah Frier at sfrier@dailynewsgroup.com.
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