The primary election's nastiest race was going down to the wire Tuesday night -- and maybe into the weekend -- with Republicans Tom Horne and Andy Thomas deadlocked in a bitter battle over the state's top law enforcement job.

In the county attorney's race, Thomas disciple Bill Montgomery was cruising to victory over Rick Romley, who had been appointed to the post when Thomas resigned and was backed by moderates and Democrats, who were counting on him to bring calm to the tumult that has gripped county politics for years.

Thomas was edging Horne in early returns, but that lead evaporated late Tuesday as rural and Pima County precincts reported. By midnight, they were 70 votes apart and the trend belonged to Horne. Shortly thereafter, Horne surged ahead and had a 400-vote margin going into the wee hours.