DENVER -- Controversial Republican state representative Douglas Bruce lost a bid to keep his seat in Tuesday's primary election against political newcomer Mark Waller.

Bruce and Waller were in a tight battle for the GOP nomination in Colorado Springs' House District 15 most of Tuesday evening, but Waller finally emerged victorious with 52 percent of the vote. Waller will face Democrat Michelle Maksimowicz in the strongly Republican district.

Waller led Bruce 54 percent to 45 percent in a count of mostly mail-in and early voting ballots. The final winning margin was 52 percent to 48 percent.

Waller, a former Air Force officer who owns a law practice in Colorado Springs, received contributions from at least five current and former state lawmakers, Attorney General John Suthers, and former University of Denver chancellor Daniel Ritchie.

Bruce became the first lawmaker to be censured by the House after he kicked a photographer for taking his picture during the morning prayer on his first day in office. Later in the session, he was ordered to leave the House podium after calling foreign farm workers "illiterate peasants."

House Minority Leader Mike May also removed Bruce from the state, veterans and military affairs committee after he refused to co-sponsor a resolution honoring military veterans. Bruce, the author of Colorado's Taxpayers Bill of Rights, or TABOR, said such resolutions didn't have the force of law and were a waste of time.

Voters chose party candidates in 17 other legislative districts across Colorado.

In Weld County, incumbent Republican Rep. Glenn Vaad held off newcomer Marc Yingling, winning 54 percent of the vote. Yingling had claimed that Vaad wasn't conservative enough on issues like taxes, abortion and illegal immigration.

Vaad faces Democrat Bill Williams of Frederick, a Vietnam veteran and former president of Denver's air traffic controllers union, in November's election.

In suburban Denver, Camille Ryckman coasted toward victory over Jefferson County school board member Vince Chowdhury in the House District 22 Democratic primary. Chowdhury was listed as a candidate despite pleading guilty last month to third-degree assault for slapping and trying to choke his 16-year-old daughter. Ryckman led 82.8 to 17.5 percent with 64 percent of precincts counted.

More than 20 Democratic state lawmakers endorsed Ryckman, a rare move in a primary.

Ed Vigil, a Costilla County commissioner, led Alamosa physician Rocky White in the House District 62 Democratic primary in the San Luis Valley by 64 percent to 36 percent with 89 percent of precincts counted. The incumbent, Democratic Rep. Rafael Gallegos, failed to earn a spot on the ballot at the party assembly.

Turnout was light in many areas Tuesday as many voters cast mail-in ballots.

In El Paso County, Balink said about 45,000 people voted by mail, surpassing the approximately 30,000 who did so in 2006. Overall, he said he expected turnout to be about 25 percent of active voters.

Jefferson County clerk Pam Anderson said 57,650 people had voted by mail by the time the polls opened Tuesday. That's more than the total turnout for the 2006 primary election.

But in southern Colorado's Costilla County, most of the 2,365 voters still like to cast their ballots in person.

Clerk Dolores Burns said 82 people requested mail ballots and only 64 voted early.

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