▁for ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁succeed ▁Congress man ▁Leonard ▁L ance , ▁who ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁Senate ▁after ▁his ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives . ▁At ▁the ▁special ▁election ▁convention , ▁Di Ma io ▁defeated ▁Erik ▁Pet erson ▁and ▁Matt ▁Hol t , ▁both ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Hunter don ▁County ▁Board ▁of ▁Ch osen ▁Free hold ers . ▁On ▁the ▁first ▁ball ot , ▁the ▁tot als ▁were : ▁Di Ma io ▁ 1 2 9 , ▁Pet erson ▁ 1 0 4 , ▁and ▁Hol t ▁ 5 6 . ▁On ▁the ▁second ▁run off ▁ball ot , ▁the ▁tot als ▁were : ▁Di Ma io ▁ 1 5 3 ▁and ▁Pet erson ▁ 1 4 1 . ▁Di Ma io ▁was ▁sw orn ▁into ▁office ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁He ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Agricult ure ▁and ▁Natural ▁Resources ▁Committee ▁and ▁the ▁Tele communic ations ▁and ▁Util ities ▁Committee . ▁In ▁the ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁Republican ▁primary , ▁Di Ma io ▁successfully ▁def ended ▁his ▁Assembly ▁seat . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁running ▁mate , ▁Hunter don ▁County ▁Free holder ▁Erik ▁Pet erson , ▁narrow ly ▁ed ged ▁out ▁Ed ▁Smith ▁for ▁the ▁two ▁sp ots ▁on ▁the ▁November ▁general ▁election ▁ball ot . ▁Di Ma io ▁and ▁Pet erson ▁defeated ▁Democratic ▁candidates ▁William ▁Court ney ▁and ▁Tam me ish a ▁Smith ▁in ▁the ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁Comm itte es