In what many political experts see as a preview of the midterm elections this November, Republican David Jolly has scored a surprise victory in Florida’s Tuesday special election to fill the seat held by the late Rep. Bill Young.
The overwhelming theme from start to finish was Obamacare.
Jolly edged Democratic candidate Alex Sink by less than 3,500 votes or 88,294 to 84,877. Libertarian candidate Lucas Overby finished a distant third with 8,799 votes.
Jolly’s share of the vote was 48.52 percent, with Sink capturing 46.64 percent and Overby 4.84 percent.
Ironically, opinion polls showed the Democrat Sink leading opinion polls days before the election by between 7 and 9 percent. Sink, 65, conceded defeat shortly before 8 p.m., less than an hour after the polls had closed.
The race became a voter referendum of President Obama’s highly controversial health care law. Even though the challenger, David Jolly, carried baggage with a divorce, children and a 26-year-old girlfriend (he’s 41), the health care law saw him win.
Fox New’s Megyn Kelly interviewed Jolly shortly after his victory. He observed, “Yes, Obamacare was an issue. The voters made it an issue. But at the end of the day, Obamacare represents just a view of government that has been put forward by this president that I think many people reject.”
No doubt every Democratic candidate in the country was taking notes on this early vote.
Oregon Rep. Greg Walden, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement to The Hill, “Tonight, one of Nancy Pelosi’s most prized candidates was ultimately brought down because of her unwavering support for Obamacare, and that should be a loud warning for other Democrats running coast to coast.”
Will this election mark the beginning of a wave of Republicans winning the Senate majority and increasing their House majority.
