This may be a little premature with many mail in and provisional ballots still to be counted, but it looks like Pearce is a goner. The local TV news is saying he has been defeated. I’m just so happy I could burst. Pretty sad being happy a conservative Republican beat another conservative Republican.
Voters have ousted state Sen. Russell Pearce in an unprecedented recall election, a first for an Arizona legislator.
With a majority of the precincts reporting, the top vote getter, Republican Jerry Lewis, steps into the District 18 legislative seat for the second year of a two-year term.
Lewis claimed victory at 9 p.m. "Our opponent was the most powerful politician in Arizona and one who had deep pocketed and powerful interests from outside our district backing him, as well as the entire muscle from our state Republican Party," Lewis said.
Lewis, 54, a charter school executive, has been a resident of Mesa for nearly 30 years. His victory now forces the Senate's majority Republicans to pick a new leader for the chamber.
People on both sides of the debate said that removing Pearce would send a powerful message to the Legislature that uncompromising stands on immigration and other issues will not be tolerated by voters.
http://www.kpho.com/...
Early results indicate political newcomer Jerry Lewis has taken the lead for the Legislative District 18 recall election against Senate President Russell Pearce.
Polls closed at 7 p.m.
As of 8 p.m., the results from the Maricopa County Recorder's office indicate Lewis had a 53 percent to 45 percent lead over Pearce, with nearly 14,000 ballots counted.
More than 100 upbeat Lewis backers crowded into the back yard of supporter Tom Wright and let out a loud cheer when the first count of absentee ballots showed Lewis ahead.
"This is the definition of a grass-roots campaign," said former Mesa Vice Mayor John Giles, co-chair of the Lewis campaign.
Supporters were cautious with their optimism, however, saying that their exit polling showed the race could be so close that it could be decided by a few hundred votes.
Voters in Arizona's first recall election of a sitting lawmaker may not know the final results until next week.
Elections officials may still need to count more than 12,000 provisional ballots.
http://www.azcentral.com/...