Republican Wins House Race in Calif. - New York Times

Republican Wins House Race in Calif. - New York Times: "June 7, 2006

SAN DIEGO, June 7 — A Republican former congressman slipped to victory in a special election here Tuesday, staving off what would have been a highly embarrassing Democratic victory in a solidly Republican district. National Republicans poured in nearly $5 million and nearly 200 campaign workers to help hold the seat for their party.

The winner, Brian P. Bilbray, defeated Francine Busby, a Democrat, in the contest to fill the seat left vacant by Representative Randy Cunningham, a Republican who resigned earlier this year after pleading guilty to corruption charges.

With 97 percent of the vote counted, Mr. Bilbray had 49 percent of the vote and Ms. Busby 45 percent, raising the prospect that he would fail to win more than half the vote in what should be one of the safest Republican districts in the country. An independent candidate running on an anti-immiration platform, William Griffith, drew just under four percent"