DURHAM -- Incumbent Mike Nifong edged challenger Freda Black for Durham district attorney Tuesday in a much-anticipated race that drew intense local and national attention because of the ongoing Duke lacrosse rape case.
With all of Durham's 58 precincts reporting, Nifong had 45.2 percent of the vote -- more than enough to avoid a second primary. Black won 41.5 percent, and third-place finisher Keith Bishop had 13.3 percent in Durham's first three-way DA race in at least 30 years. No Republicans are running, so Nifong is virtually assured of winning the general election in November.
Black refused to concede defeat in a 9:45 p.m. statement. "I didn't think how close [the election] might be," she said. "I had no way to gauge." Her spokesman, Brad Dixon of Campaign Connections in Raleigh, said he was "gratified" by the support Black received. "We have waged a valiant fight for Durham County and for the values so many people care about in the county," he said. "This has been a great race. Freda is a great lady who has handled herself with grace and dignity throughout this campaign." Bishop could not be reached Tuesday night for comment. The voice mailbox on his cell phone was full.
After the election results came in, yellow-shirted Nifong supporters chanted his name as they planned what they called a Cinco-de-Miko party in honor of his victory.
Nifong said he didn't know how the lacrosse case affected the election. "The election and the case were two totally unrelated events," he said. "There's no way to tell if it hurt or helped, but I felt by far I was the best candidate all along. I'm glad the people of Durham agreed with me. "My situation is, I feel I did what was right [with the lacrosse case]. I don't have anything to be vindicated for."
Nifong quipped he would run for president in 2008, then quickly retracted the statement. "No, I'm not a political animal," he conceded. "Politics isn't in my blood. This isn't really that much fun."
Black and Bishop were highly critical of Nifong's handling of the lacrosse case, saying he made too many public comments. That emerged as the defining issue of the campaign, even though the alleged rape hadn't happened when the candidates filed for office in February.
Nifong fielded a question Tuesday night about a motion filed Monday in which defense lawyer Kirk Osborn accused him "prostituting" the truth and using the alleged rape for political gain. "Mr. Osborn has said many things," Nifong said. "There is some possibility there might be one kernel of truth in one of his motions somewhere."
Osborn asked that Nifong be removed from the rape case. "If I were Kirk Osborn, I'd be trying to get me off the case, too," Nifong grinned. Interviews at polling places Tuesday indicated that Nifong's handling of the controversial, nationally publicized lacrosse rape case was the catalyst behind many votes -- for and against him.
No comments:
Post a Comment