Unofficial results showed Haggerty with 461 votes or 57.48 percent of the vote. Coming in behind Haggerty were Tom Clark of Anchor Point with 228 votes or 28.43 percent and Jesse R. Clutts, also of Anchor Point, with 110 votes or 13.72 percent. That accounted for 828 ballots cast of 2,675 registered voters in District 9.

Haggerty is the owner and operator of Mako's Water Taxi. He currently serves on Cook Inletkeeper's board of directors and is president of Friends of Kachemak Bay State Park. In past years, he served on Kachemak Bay State Park Citizens' Advisory Board, KBBI AM-890 Public Radio's board of directors and was president of the North Pacific Fishermen's Association.

"I think the campaign went well," Haggerty said. "At the end of a campaign, you always think of things you could have done to communicate a little better with the constituents, but I'm just glad the election turned out the way it did."

Haggerty credited his win to name recognition and involvement in local issues.

"I think people have a pretty good idea of who I am," he said of his lead in the election. Topping Haggerty's priority list is serving "the people of the lower peninsula as well as Milli (Martin) did. I'm going to have to work very hard to fill her shoes," he said.

Martin was elected to represent District 9 in 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2006. She was unable to run for election this year due to a two-term limit passed by voters in 2007.

Also high on Haggerty's priority list is education, prudent spending, road maintenance and a relationship with the borough mayor's office that is defined by transparency, mutual respect and open dialogue. Asked during the campaign about the borough's role in advancing the proposed Pebble mine and the Chuitna coal project, Haggerty said he believed the borough had "an overriding obligation to ensure our fish and game resources will continue to support local economies for decades to come."

Of Clark and Clutts, Haggerty said, "It was an honor to run with those two gentlemen. We had some civil dialogue and I learned a lot from the two of them. I really feel that they helped me become a better candidate and, hopefully, a better assemblyman."

Clutts said he was disappointed with the election results, but still managed to get in some celebrating.

"My youngest son had a birthday today and we celebrated that, so the day was a mixture of good and bad," Clutts said. Although surprised at margin of votes separating him from Clark and Haggerty, Clutts said he was not entirely surprised by the outcome.

"I thought I was coming in as an underdog," he said, referring to Clark's service on the borough planning commission and Haggerty's involvement in local organizations.

Clutts said he has no regrets for having run for the assembly seat. "I put my name out there to offer my services. The voters chose someone else and (Haggerty's) a good one," Clutts said.

Asked if he had any advice for Haggerty, Clutts said, "Work hard. Get out there and talk to people. Be willing to listen to both sides of an issue."

Clark could not be reached for comment. McKibben Jackinsky is a reporter for the Homer News -