Ahern Extends Lead Over Geraghty

Wed., Nov. 15, 2000

By Jonathan Martin jonathanm@spokesman.com

Mail-in voters gave Republican John Ahern a wider lead Tuesday in a tight race for Spokane’s 6th District House seat.

Ahern was ahead of Democrat Jack Geraghty by 222 votes after more absentee ballots were counted Tuesday. The first-time candidate’s margin has inched upward since Election Day, when he was ahead by 40 votes.

The race is being watched closely by both political parties. Each hopes to gain a majority in the House of Representatives, which was split 49-49 last session.

Democrats appeared to gain one seat statewide, but votes are still being counted in several key races in Western Washington.

The 6th District has voted consistently Republican since the Depression, but Democrats hoped Geraghty, a former Spokane mayor, would win the seat and reverse the trend.

The candidates spent more than $200,000 combined in the campaign to succeed retiring Republican Duane Sommers, blanketing the district’s South Hill, West Plains and northwest Spokane neighborhoods with dozens of mailings.

More mail-in ballots are expected to be counted Thursday, but a final tally is unlikely until next Tuesday.

An automatic recount is required if the candidates are separated by one-half of 1 percent or less. Ahern’s lead is less than that so far.

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