State Assembly District 40 Republican candidate Phillip "PK" O'Neill views early election results with his wife Nancy, left, and campaign director Jennifer Russell on Tuesday night.
With Carson City votes final and more than half of the Washoe County portion of Assembly District 40 in, P.K. O’Neill was headed for a clear victory in the race to battle Democrat Dave Cook and Independent American John Wagner in November.
They are seeking to replace the retiring Pete Livermore in the district that represents the capital and southern Washoe County east of U.S. 395.
O’Neill, a veteran law enforcement officer, state official and community activist, had a lead of more than 1,000 votes in Carson City, 2,911 to 1,892, over businessman and community activist Jed Block.
Even in the small portion of Washoe the district covers, he was leading 509 to 435.
Overall, that is a margin of 1,100 — 3,420 to 2,327 or 60-40 percent.
“I thought it would be much closer,” O’Neill said. “He ran a good race and I appreciate it.”
O’Neill said he looks forward to meeting with Block “and representing his supporters as our supporters as we go forward in the general election.”
“I’m very happy our race did not get nasty like some of the other Republican primaries,” he said.