Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Miller Wins District 1: "I'm Happy I Have a Room Full of Supporters"

Posted By on Tue, Aug 28, 2012 at 11:01 PM

In the most competitive local election of the night, Ally Miller looks to be the winner over three other Republicans in the race to replace the retiring Pima County Supervisor Ann Day.

With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Miller had 38 percent of the vote.

"I'm happy I have a room full of supporters," Miller said at her Election Night party at the Redline Sports Grill.

Miller, who will face Democrat Nancy Young Wright in the November general election, said her focus would be on creating jobs and fixing streets.

Former Arizona Republican Party chairman Mike Hellon, who was coming in second with 32 percent of the vote, was disappointed in the outcome, but said getting off the campaign trail would allow him to get back to playing golf.

"If the sun comes up tomorrow, everything is good," Hellon said. "If I don't win I'll be able to work on my golf game, which has been lacking."

Hellon added that he "didn't particularly want to run. I had some people who convinced me that I could beat the Democrat. It's always tough in a four-way Republican race with a Tea Party candidate."

He expressed concern that Miller might not do well against Democrat Nancy Young Wright in the general election.

"That's why I'm in the race," he said. "Because I don't think the others can win in the general election."

State lawmaker Vic Williams, who was coming in third with 22 percent of the vote, said the result was "not what we want."

"We worked hard and put out a good message, but unfortunately, it's not reflecting in the poll numbers at this time," Williams said.

At the Democratic Party celebration at El Casino ballroom, Wright said that expected to have to "work very hard" to beat Miller.

"We're going to talk about the differences, we're going to have a civil debate, I hope, and I am
looking forward to that," Wright said.


UA journalism students Katherine Carroll, John Magee, Amanda Sedberry and Alyssa Reilly contributed to this report.