Ariz. immigration law author loses recall

PHOENIX, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce, author of the state's controversial immigration law, lost a recall election Tuesday to a fellow Republican.

The unofficial tally showed Jerry Lewis with 53.4 percent of the vote and Pearce with 45.6 percent, the East Valley Tribune reported. Lewis, running as a political novice with a much smaller war chest, depicted himself as a pro-business conservative and criticized Pearce as someone who had become a one-issue legislator.

Pearce told Capitol Media Services he could run for office again, including trying to get back into the Senate representing his district in the Phoenix suburbs.

Conservatives attacked the recall campaign as a liberal effort and Pearce described its backers as "far left-wing anarchists," The Arizona Republic reported.

The immigration law, passed in 2010, was initially popular in Arizona, but some voters have had second thoughts as the state has been targeted by boycotts. Pearce's attempts to push through additional legislation also struck many as going too far, political analysts said.