Jolly captures District 13 Congressional seat [View all]

[ErikJ]

Source: St. Petersburg Tribune

Published: March 11, 2014 | Updated: March 11, 2014 at 07:44 PM
ST PETERSBURG — Republican David Jolly defeated Democrat Alex Sink and Libertarian Lucas Overby to capture the fiercely contested special election today for the U.S. District 13 Congressional race in Pinellas County.

Jolly had 48.5 percent to win the seat and replace his former boss, C.W. Bill Young, who held it for 43 years until his death in October created the need for this special election.

Sink, the former state Chief Financial Officer, got 47 percent of the vote, and Overby got 5 percent.

A race that normally would play a minor role on the national stage, if any, became a media focal point as political observers tried to divine what lies ahead in the upcoming midterm election in November.

Sink, 65, Jolly, 41, and Overby, 27, often were overshadowed by outside political groups and the millions in advertisements they bought in what was the most expensive Congressional race in history.

Republicans largely targeted Sink on the Affordable Care Act, given that she supports changing the law instead of a full repeal - which Jolly and many Republicans say they prefer. Democrats, meanwhile, hit Jolly for his job as a lobbyist and for his support from ultra-conservative groups, and accused him of wanting to privatize Social Security.
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Read more: http://tbo.com/pinellas-county/polls-close-in-contentious-congressional-race-20140311/