Updated at 11:50 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4
Carl DeMaio took a slim, early lead Tuesday over Rep. Scott Peters in an election race that has captured national attention, but the margin declined throughout the night was was less than four-tenths of a point at midnight.
With 70.5 percent of precincts reporting, the Republican DeMaio led with 50.2 percent of the vote, compared to 49.8 percent for Peters. Both are former members of the San Diego City Council.
DeMaio has had to ward off allegations of sexual misconduct by two former staffers — the second of whom went public only a few days ago. His campaign office was vandalized earlier this year.
District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis declined to file charges regarding the first instance of alleged sexual harassment or the vandalism. She cited insufficient evidence in each instance.
Despite the vicious nature of the past several months, DeMaio said he feels good about the campaign.
“I feel that we laid out a campaign based on my record of saving San Diego from the brink of bankruptcy and making government work here,” DeMaio told NBC7/39. “We laid out positive ideas in Washington to fix the problems back there.”
Peters first claimed the 52nd Congressional District two years ago, unseating Republican Brian Bilbray in an election that took several days of counting to decide.
“I don’t know what else we can do, so we’ll see what the voters say,” Peters told the station. “It’s been an honor to serve and I hope that they honor me with two more years, and if they do, I will work every day to bring the Congress that America deserves and we can be proud of again.”
In other congressional races, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon, Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, and Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego, all took commanding leads in their reelection races.
— City News Service
