Republican Martha McSally narrowly prevailed Wednesday over Democratic Rep. Ron Barber in a recount to decide the final undecided congressional race of 2014.
McSally won by a 167-vote margin in Arizona’s second congressional district, which was represented by Rep. Gabby Giffords, a Democrat, until she was shot in 2011. Barber, Gifford’s former district director, won a special election to succeed her after she left Congress to focus full-time on her recovery and, later, gun-control advocacy.
The race marked a second meeting between McSally, a retired Air Force colonel, and Barber, who faced off in 2012 in a comparably tight contest. Barber was not declared the winner of that race until more than one week after Election Day, by a margin of a few thousand votes.
Before the race was called in 2012, McSally, stuck in a sort of political purgatory, attended some events for new members of Congress in Washington, including a reception hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. She was back again this year as a rare two-time attendee, with the result of her race still pending.
Likewise, House Republicans did not wait for a result in McSally’s race to welcome her to Washington, appointing her preemptively to the Armed Services and Homeland Security committees.
McSally’s victory will expand an already historic House majority for Republicans, who will control 247 seats — the most since 1928.
