|
(Continued from page 31)
Colo. Democratic lawmakers ousted in gun control recalls promoted by activists, NRA
• DENVER (AP) -- Two Democratic state lawmakers who backed tighter gun laws in the aftermath of mass shootings have been kicked out of office in a recall election promoted by both grassroots activists and the National Rifle Association.
• Senate President John Morse lost by just 343 votes Tuesday in a swing district in the Republican stronghold of Colorado Springs but Sen. Angela Giron lost by a bigger margin in a largely blue-collar district that favors Democrats.
• The NRA said the election sent a clear message to lawmakers that they should protect gun rights and be accountable to their constituents, not to "anti-gun billionaires" -- a swipe against New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who supported Giron and Morse.
• Democrats will still maintain control of the state Legislature and the laws are expected to remain in place.
• "The loss of this senate seat is purely symbolic," Morse said.
• ___
De Blasio finishes 1st in NYC mayoral race but may face one-on-one runoff with Thompson
• NEW YORK (AP) -- Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, who ran an upstart campaign pledging to fight New York City's economic inequality, emerged as the surprising top choice in the Democratic mayoral primary, but could still face weeks -- and another electoral fight -- before becoming his party's nominee.
• The swirling, chaotic campaign to replace Mayor Michael Bloomberg, which featured Anthony Weiner's latest sexting scandal and at least three lead changes in the polls, was fittingly plunged into uncertainty again after the Tuesday primary bled into early Wednesday.
• With 97 percent of precincts reporting, de Blasio had about 40.2 percent of the total vote, which puts him a whisker above the 40 percent threshold needed to avoid triggering an automatic Oct. 1 runoff. If he cannot maintain that, he will face former city Comptroller Bill Thompson, who has 26 percent, for a potentially grueling three-week, one-on-one showdown, with the winner advancing to face Republican nominee Joe Lhota in the general election.
• But it may take a week or more before it is known whether that battle will be fought at all.
(Continued on page 33)
|
|
