PHOENIX (AP) – Republicans will have their largest U.S. House majority in 83 years when the new Congress convenes next month, after a recount in Arizona gave the final outstanding race to a Republican challenger.
Retired Air Force Col. Martha McSally won a House seat over Democratic incumbent Ron Barber by 167 votes out of nearly 220,000 cast, according to results released Wednesday.
Barber was district director for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords when he and the congresswoman were wounded during a political event in Tucson in January 2011. Barber then won a special election to fill out the remainder of Giffords’ term after she stepped down in early 2012. He went on to defeat McSally in that year’s general election to win a full term in Congress, in a race separated by fewer than 2,500 votes.
Barber said he would not contest the results and had called McSally to congratulate her on her victory.
“I want her to be successful because the people of southern Arizona deserve that,” Barber said.