State Rep. Terry McMillan of Las Cruces has survived a tight challenge for his House seat. After a two-and-a-half day recount, Dona Ana County Clerk Lynn Ellins Thursday declared McMillan the winner of New Mexico House District 37 by eight votes.
He and Democratic challenger Joanne Ferrary had been tied at 6,247 votes. But the recount shows McMillan won 6,267 to 6,259.
Under state law, if the recount had ended in a tie, the winner would have been determined by a game of chance such as a flip of a coin.
In 1996, a GOP primary race for a state Senate seat was determined by a coin toss. The winner — William Payne of Albuquerque — is the No. 2 GOP leader in the Senate.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.