Arizona Special Election 2012: Jan Brewer Orders Special Election For June 12 To Fill Gabrielle Giffords' Congressional Seat

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. leaves her office on Capitol Hill in Washington for the last time as a member of Congress, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

PHOENIX, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on Friday ordered a special general election to be held on June 12 to fill the congressional seat vacated by Tucson Democrat Gabrielle Giffords, who resigned to focus on recovering from her gunshot wound of last year.

The Republican governor also set an April 17 primary to choose the candidates who will vie to replace Giffords in what has proved to be a highly competitive district in southern Arizona. (Reporting by David Schwartz; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Paul Thomasch)

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