Joe Campos
Democratic Lt. Gov. candidate Joe Campos says he’s staying in the race even though he didn’t get 20 percent at the party’s preprimary nominating convention on Saturday.
“The delegate voting shows we have a tight race among the top candidates. In the weeks leading to the June 1 primary, any one of the top candidates has the opportunity to break away from the pack and win the election,” he wrote in an e-mail to supporters. “My campaign team has shifted into high gear and we aim to take the lead.”
“I’ve competed in some tough elections in the past. I have challenges ahead in the upcoming campaign, but my whole career as a public servant is about meeting challenges head-on and with gusto,” he said.
Brian Colón finished first at the convention with the votes of 34.54 percent of delegates. Lawrence Rael finished second at 22.15 percent, while Campos finished with 19.69 percent, Jerry Ortiz y Pino finished with 18.87 percent, and Linda Lopez finished with 4.73 percent.
By law, those who fail to get 20 percent at the convention have to collect twice as many signatures as those who do get 20 percent if they want to appear on the ballot. And no candidate who has failed the organizational test of getting 20 percent at the convention has gone on to win the primary.
Ortiz y Pino said earlier today that he’s also staying in the race. Lopez hasn’t responded to an e-mail asking whether she’s staying in the race.