Bilbray leads Busby for Congress

By Union-Tribune,
Originally published November 2, 2010 at 8:08 p.m., updated November 2, 2010 at 8:09 p.m.

Republican incumbent Brian Bilbray leads familiar challenger Democrat Francine Busby in the largely North County 50th Congressional District, according to early returns.

In their third match up, Bilbray had 59 percent of the vote to Busby's 37 percent, based on the initial count of mail ballots.

The tough campaign featured Busby claims that Bilbray was too close to lobbyists while the Carlsbad Republican called his rival a pro-tax Democrat who would be bad for business.

Bilbray first defeated Busby in a special election in 2006 to replace Randy "Duke" Cunningham, the former Republican congressman from Rancho Santa Fe who pleaded guilty in November 2005 to charges of conspiracy and tax evasion in the case that centered on his receiving bribes in return for influencing the awarding of defense contracts.

Bilbray defeated then defeated Busby in the regular election later that year to serve a full term.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010 ... -congress/