Two San Jose businessmen were nearly neck and neck for the
Republican nomination for the 15th District race early Wednesday in
a contest that was still too close to call.
Two San Jose businessmen were nearly neck and neck for the Republican nomination for the 15th District race late Tuesday in a contest that was still too close to call.
With 253 of 433 of precincts counted, Scott Kirkland had 7,859 votes while Don Barich had 7,474 votes. Each of the San Jose businessmen had acquired about 37 percent of the vote as of 8 p.m. However, Kirkland’s lead grew slightly as the night wore on. He garnered about 38.7 percent of the vote as of 12:14 a.m., while Barich maintained about 36.4 percent. Meanwhile, Raymond Chukwu was in third place with 5,244 votes – a total of about 25 percent.
Incumbent Rep. Mike Honda (D-San Jose) is running unopposed.
“I had a feeling it would be kind of tight, but this is a real nail biter,” Kirkland said early Wednesday as he reviewed results of the race on his home computer.
Kirkland, 32, works in the Sunnyvale office of Scotts Valley-based Seagate Technology, a company that makes hard drives. He became inspired to run this year after holding his newborn daughter and wondering what future awaited her.
Barich, 56, works in the graphic arts industry while also serving as a gym instructor and leading an adult education class for immigrants. He ran his own graphic arts company for many years.
Both Barich and Kirkland believe in stimulating the economy by lowering taxes and regulations on businesses rather than through government spending. Both of them also have been critical of federal health care legislation supported by Honda.
Kirkland hopes to lessen U.S. dependence on foreign oil, but he also supports loosening restrictions on off-shore drilling. He stresses the enforcement of immigration laws, and he seeks to use free market forces to help resolve national health care challenges.
Barich favors a guest worker program for seasonal and temporary work along with the protection of U.S. borders. He strongly supports U.S. troops, but he thinks they have done all they can in Iraq and Afghanistan and that it is time to leave.
Chukwu, 56, who heads up the San Jose-based nonprofit firm Black Technologies Advancement, was born in California but grew up in Nigeria. The aerospace engineer has run for Congress twice previously but had difficulty raising funds for this campaign.
Kirkland said he was surprised that Chukwu received as many votes as he did, given the candidate’s limited amount of campaigning.
All three of the Republican candidates have never held public office, and Kirkland said the Congressional election in November will be difficult.
“Honda is going to be a monumental challenge,” he said.
