Wounded Gabby Giffords Aide Wins Seat in Squeaker
Democratic U.S. Representative Ron Barber, a former aide to Gabrielle Giffords who was wounded alongside her in a deadly 2011 shooting, claimed victory on Saturday after edging Republican Martha McSally to win a full term in Congress.
Barber, 67, who won a special election in June to finish out Giffords’ term, was running to represent southeast Arizona in the state’s redrawn 2nd Congressional District. He said McSally called him in the morning to concede the razor-close race.
The contest was too close to call on election night on Nov. 6 and officials have since counted tens of thousands of provisional ballots cast in the race, as the lead swung back and forth between the two candidates.
Barber had a 1,402-vote lead as of Friday night and he claimed victory as the last ballots were being counted. More than 285,000 ballots were cast in the race.
“It’s been a long wait, but here we are,” Barber told reporters on Saturday. “Ultimately, people saw a difference between us about the issues that are important.”
A representative for McSally could not be reached for comment.
On Jan. 8, 2011, Jared Loughner opened fire at an event outside a Tucson supermarket where Giffords was meeting with constituents. Six people were killed in the shooting spree, and Giffords was wounded with a shot to the head. Barber was among 12 other people wounded.
Loughner, who had a history of psychiatric disorders, pleaded guilty in August in federal court to 19 charges, including murder and attempted murder. He was sentenced on Nov. 8 to seven consecutive life terms plus 140 years in prison without the possibility of parole.
Barber was the front-runner going into the race. Early votes and an endorsement from Giffords bolstered his campaign. McSally, 46, a retired Air Force colonel and combat pilot, emerged on election night with a lead that put her thousands of votes ahead.
That lead evaporated as the final ballots were counted.
The Republicans retained control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the Nov. 6 election.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30
