Bilbray wins in San Diego

The GOP candidate narrowly won the race to replace disgraced Rep. Randy Cunningham.

Lobbyist and former representative Brian Bilbray squeezed out a victory over Democrat Francine Busby in the heavily Republican district in San Diego County, but only after the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spent about $5 million and the Republican National Committee (RNC) helped organize a voter turnout operation staffed by more than 150 to 200 volunteers.

With more than 90 percent of the vote counted, Bilbray had 49.5 percent to Busby's 45 percent. The special election was the marquee contest on a day when eight states held contests, including notable gubernatorial primaries in California, Alabama and Iowa and Senate primaries in Montana and New Jersey.

The slim margin of victory is notable, because the district was considered safely Republican before Cunningham's resignation and the GOP's national troubles.

I had a separate problem with Bilbray: he's a living example of the revolving door between Congress and lobbyists. But apparently that didn't faze San Diego voters.

Elsewhere, disgraced former Judge Roy Moore lost his gubernatorial bid in Alabama. Wait, was that a tear in my eye? Nope, my mistake.

Busby, Bilbray, San Diego, politics, midtopia