MICHAEL COONS/Simi Acorn WINNER!-Audra Strickland, center, celebrates with supporters Floyd Rhoades, left, and Ted Weiner during her victory party at Cisco's restaurant in Thousand Oaks on Super Tuesday.

Audra Strickland took the lead on Super Tuesday and never lost it.

After vying with two other strong contenders who also waged aggressive campaigns, Strickland won the Republican nomination in the 37th Assembly District primary.

Strickland defeated Ventura County prosecutor Jeff Gorell by 1,019 votes, or 2.6 percent of the ballots cast in the primary election.

Since there is no Democrat on the ballot, Strickland will be the likely winner in the general election this November. Ferial Masry, a Democrat from Newbury Park, was a write-in candidate.

Strickland received 13,680 votes in the district’s 272 precincts, or 35.3 percent. Gorell had 12,661 votes or 32.7 percent.

Mike Robinson, who got 29.7 percent of the vote with 11,517 ballots, came in third. Louisiana native and Simi Valley resident Eric McClendon received 769 votes, or 2 percent.

Like her husband, Tony, who is leaving office because of term limits, Audra is regarded as a conservative Republican. She says she wants to improve California’s business climate, create more jobs, reform workers compensation and provide tax relief.

She also wants to address the problems of illegal immigration.

The 29-year-old Moorpark resident works at a Christian junior high school as a history teacher. She received more endorsements than her competitors and more campaign contributions, too.

Strickland raked in about $545,000 for her campaign and earned the support of heavy-hitters from the oil and tobacco industries, agriculture and banking, health care and energy companies, insurance, American Indians and the Family Action PAC.

Robinson anted up more than $600,000 for the race, most of it from his own bank account. Both Robinson and Strickland were endorsed by Sen. Tom McClintock.

Robinson and Strickland clashed often during the campaign, especially in the final days.

He accused her of being a political clone of her husband, disputed her conservative credentials and at one point accused her of taking "dirty money."

Strickland filed a complaint with state election officials accusing Robinson of laundering money through a Republican organization for his campaign, which he has denied.

Gorell staked out more moderate Republican turf. The 33-year-old, who lives in Ojai and used to work for former Gov. Pete Wilson, returns to work in the DA’s office this week.

According to the secretary of state’s office, Gorell raised $201,862.

"I think that Jeff ran a real positive campaign," said Gorell’s field director Ben Golombek. "We were happy with the support we got. We were in a difficult position…not raising enough money.

"But our supporters were tremendous throughout the process. We wish Audra the best. We think she will do a good job representing the district."