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Burgin responds to challenger

Posted Dec 9, 2009 by William March

Updated Dec 9, 2009 at 04:13 PM

In response to an announcement that Marc Johnson of Lithia will challenger her in a Republican primary for her state House seat, Rep. Rachel Burgin defended the legitimacy of her election and said she understands the problems of homeowners and families in the district.

Johnson announced yesterday that he’ll run against her, in part because of how she obtained the seat—a process he said disenfranchised the voters of the district. The former seatholder, Rep. Trey Traviesa, withdrew shortly before the 2008 election—too late for any other candidate to file—and two local Republican Party officials chose Burgin to replace him on the ballot. Because no prominent Democrat had wanted to oppose Traviesa, she faced only a little-known Demcratic opponent.

“The process is what it is – it was done within the law,” Burgin said in an interview today. “The people still had the ability to vote and chose between me and another person.”

Johnson said Burgin, who’s 27, single, and a renter, couldn’t fully understand the problems of the homeowners and families of the district. “I’m sure she has the best intentions, but it didn’t seem she could identify with our issues,” he said. “You’re never going to care as much about taxes until you have to pay them yourself.”

But Burgin responded, “I’m a third-generation resident of our county – my parents and grandparents and siblings pay property taxes. To think I don’t go to Sunday lunch and hear about those issues and feel them personally is totally false.”

Burgin said she has been giong door-to-door in neighborhoods in her district, both in preparation for her re-election campaign and “to hear from the homeowners and residents of the district.”

Burgin said state House Republican leaders held a fundraiser for her in October. Backing from state House leadership, which controls substantial amounts of political contributions, is a strong advantage in a primary.