Mike Huffington

Re “Huffington Rules Out Bid for His Old Seat in Congress,” Nov. 4: Mike Huffington announced that he would step aside from the Republican congressional contest so that Assemblyman Brooks Firestone (R-Los Olivos), could run for Walter Capps’ congressional seat. To entice Firestone into the race, House Speaker Newt Gingrich and more than a half-dozen Washington GOP leaders vowed that they would clear the field to give Firestone an uncontested run against Capps’ widow, who may be the Democratic nominee.

If this disgusting action by the Washington Republican leaders forces the other qualified Republican contestants for the congressional seat to withdraw from the contest, it will indeed be a very sad day. All of us who were looking forward to a fair primary contest so that we would have our choice of a congressman would have been betrayed. My only response would be that I will not vote for Firestone for congressman or Huffington for lieutenant governor, even it means that for the first time in 50 years I vote for Democratic candidates.

M.E. ELLISON

Santa Ynez