In Va., Win Declared, Loss Not Conceded

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VA_ELN_VIRGINIA_SENATE

Nov 8, 9:04 AM EST

In Va., Win Declared, Loss Not Conceded

By BOB LEWIS
AP Political Writer

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Sen. George Allen's political career hung by a thread on Tuesday, as Democrat Jim Webb claimed victory - though fewer than 8,000 votes separated the two, and a recount was virtually certain.

"The votes are in and we won," Webb said, though there were still votes to count. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Webb had 1,170,564 votes, or 49.6 percent, to Allen's 1,162,717, or 49.3 percent.

A final count, including all absentee ballots, was expected later Wednesday.

There are no automatic recounts in Virginia, but state law allows a candidate who finishes a half-percentage point or less behind to request a recount paid for by state and local governments.

With a margin greater than that but less than 1 percentage point, the trailing candidate can still seek a recount but has to pay the costs if the results are unchanged. Either way, a recount could not begin until after the State Board of Elections certifies the results Nov. 27; the losing candidate has 10 after that to request a recount.

Both parties have teams that plan to monitor and intervene in the event of a recount, anticipating the process could stretch into next month.

...

Follow results (almost live) here:
http://sbe.virginiainteractive.org/nov2006/d_02.htm

[gratuitous]

1. Under the Media's own Florida 2000 rule

That means Webb is the winner. The votes have been counted, and Webb has won. I just looked at the board again, and Webb's still the winner. So the votes have been counted and recounted, and Webb is the winner. Allen's just a sore loser, because Webb is the winner. I suppose Allen wants to keep counting the votes until he gets a different outcome. The votes have been counted, the people of Virginia have spoken, and Jim Webb is their Senator.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

[zbdent]

2. Yeah, but could Allen be sworn in and

declared the winner by the Repukes, and therefore doing an end-run around the election process?

[bullimiami]

3. ahh that IS the question isnt it.

[gratuitous]

5. I believe Allen would need a certificate of election first

But I was talking generally about stampeding the court of public opinion in the direction of Webb, rather than the technicalities and legalities.

"Of course, we expect the GOP to run to the courthouse with their high-priced lawyers to try to steal by judicial fiat what they can't win at the ballot box."

See? It's all in the framing.

[calimary]

11. Yes. Stampeding the court of public opinion. It's the latter day version

of storming the Bastille, I guess, but it's a GREAT way to word it.

And that's EXACTLY what we have to do. The bushies went strutting around, acting as though they'd won, telling everybody they'd won, and measuring the drapes way before the last word was said. Guess what? THAT door swings both ways, too!

[LostinVA]

7. No -- how could he do that???

[EFerrari]

35. Remember the contested special election in CA 50?

That's what Hastert did. He just swore in Bilbray and that was that.

[bobbie]

29. Ah yes, could MT send an alternate mob of "electors" instead of the real one?

As Fla would have done in 2000 had the Supreme Injustices not intervened to top off the coup?

Well, it's a day of celebration nonetheless! :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :bounce: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party: :party:

[LostinVA]

8. There's been no recount yet -- all of the absentee ballots

haven't been counted. THEN Allen can request a recount.

[bpj1962]

14. Absentee Ballots

Absentee ballots are counted at the same time. The only ballots not counted would be the ones that are in the mail fom around the country and the world. This is my 100th post and as a proud Virginian I only have one thing to say "FUCK YOU GEORGE FELIX ALLEN AND DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON THE WAY OUT". God that felt good. Now we just have to get rid of that Roman Statue John Warner and my day will be complete. I am so proud to be an American and a democrat and I have once again found my sense of faith and belief that the american people are good people who were being unknowingly and in many cases unwillingly led down this path of destruction. As a democrat we have to make sure we now hold our leaders accountable. They must be ethical, morally responsible and above reproach. We cannot let what happened to the republicans happen to us. Reform must have some teeth to it or we will suffer the same fate as the republicans and probaby in a shorter time frame. It is a good day to be an American. My father immigrated from Ireland in 1956 because he wanted a better life. He beleieved in the American dream and he believed in a form of government that gave hime a voice. I truly believe that he is looking down from heaven right now with a smile on his face and a pint of Guiness in the other.

[fenderplayer96]

21. It's also a pretty good day if you're *not* American ;)

[Solly Mack]

4. Heh

lololol

good for him

[w4rma]

6. Good. (nt)

[Lance_Boyle]

9. Allen is being a Sore LoserMacacaMan.

Hey George, I believe I hear a fat lady singing the Macacarena for your exit - wanna throw a tantrum about it?

[Robbins]

10. Webb

The MSM doesn't want to call It but Webb has pulled a narrow win over Allen.If Allen was ahead they would be calling It for Allen.This means Virginia Is no longer a solid Republican state but a swing
state.

[Killfile]

12. Not a Swing State Yet

While I'd love to call the Old Dominion a swing state, it's important that we remember that Webb remains a DINO (Democrat In Name Only). I'm not impeaching the man's credibility here, but he's not the same breed of Democrat as Kennedy or our presumed Speaker. Virginia can swing blue, but only if there is a very conservative Democrat on the ticket. It's well and good for state wide races, but come 2008 we're going to have to decide if Virginia's electoral votes are worth the lunge to the right needed to pick them up.

[LostinVA]

15. I wouldn't call Webb a very Conservative Dem

I would call him a moderate, basically non-DLC Dem.

[Rowdyboy]

27. He's his own man.....It'll be interesting.....Webb probably won't be very

popular here on DU once people forget how much they hate George "Felix" (Macaca-Man) Allen. He's not gonna be a reliably "liberal" vote but he will be a reliably honest, sincere vote. He will follow his conscience.

[bpj1962]

20. Virginia Democrats

As a life long Virginian it amazes me that people who are not from Virginia or do not know the history of the democratic party in Virginia will make comments like that. The democratic party in VA has always been conservative particularly in the southern and western part of the state. It has only been in the last 10 years that more moderate democratic candidates have emerged from parts of the state other then NOVA, Richmond and the Tidewater area. Give Jim Webb a chance. He will caucas with the democrats and I am sure that he will also stake his own ground out as well. You cannot have buyers remorse a day after the election. If VirginiaDare was here she would back me up. Both of us have been backing Webb since before the primary in July.

[MorningGlow]

13. Isn't this the point where

Isn't this the point where the counting and recounting is supposed to stop and the loser is supposed to "get over it"? Whaddya mean count the absentee ballots?

I'm so confused. Have the rules changed since 2000 and 2004? :evilgrin:

[LostinVA]

16. There hasn't been a recount yet

That can't happen until all the votes are counted. I want the margin to be +.5, so Felix has to pay for it, not me!

[rodeodance]

17. cease the Moment Webb and Declare Victory. Act like a Senator-Elect.

[truthisfreedom]

18. seize.

[IA_Seth]

30. I am glad DU is still in full form...lol. n/t

[progressivebydesign]

25. then the Supreme Court will rule that it would harm Webb to take it away..

worked for little Georgie Bush. Most people don't realize THAT is what gave him the presidency. It was because he declared victory and acted like the Prez... so they ruled that he would be harmed (under equal protection laws) if he was not able to be prez.

[happydreams]

34. That has to be the most pathetically warped decision in SCOTUS

history. Did you read Bugliosi's "Betrayal"? Damn that had me fuming.

[happydreams]

33. Yea, like "stay the curse".

}(

[Little Wing]

19. 4 more precincts, 5,000 votes to hold

[DemoTex]

22. Allen can't concede. He is speechless.

His soft teeth are stuck in his whiny throat.

:rofl:

[Justitia]

23. We need to act like STRONG WINNERS, mandate & all. Get over it loser! -eom

[buddysmellgood]

24. Count the votes! Count them all! Count them twice. We win with democracy.

They win by cheating.

[zann725]

26. Remember, Allen WAS on all talk shows morn after Election '04, bullying JK to concede?

Seemed like every five minutes he appeared on yet another talk show, driving the "concede NOW"..."don't be a spoil sport" message.

Now LOOK who wants to NOT concede? Who's being a "spoil sport? now"

Allen, take your OWN advice. As Schumer just said, the Dems are urging Allen to concede. Allen IS a bully-type personality however, so that's unlikely.

My hope however is that Karma comes back to Allen, and now HE should concede. Just move on good 'ol boy...move on. You lost, and unless Rove does some number=juggling, those numbers won't change.

Give it up Pugs! We REALLY won!

[crim son]

28. "But I was promised the fix was in. I can't lose! It's not possible!"

Big fucking baby. Concede, you loser.

[struggle4progress]

31. Ghost Precinct In James City County (WTKR)

Priscilla Monti Reporting
Ghost Precinct In James City County
Nov 8, 2006 12:04 PM EST

... James City County General Registrar Alan Cole, Sr. says the report on the state website that only 14 of 16 James City County precincts reported is incorrect, sort of. "James City County precincts were 100-percent reported at 8:18 last night. Part of the problem is 2 of our precincts are referred to as ghost precincts. We really only have 14 precincts."

Precinct 502 is the problem. Half of it is in Congressional District 1. Half is in Congressional District 3. The portion in District 3 is in the James River. No one lives there. The Registrar must report zero. "We report zero and it doesn't recognize that as a reported precinct."

Because of that zero, the computer also doesn't recognize the results for the Central Absentee Ballots either. That's 1727 votes. James City County voter Allen Volz hopes that doesn't affect the race for Senate. "I think this is ridiculous. I'm not surprised though. Computers are great, but sometimes they don't work. This is a close race."

So close that a zero vote counts on Wednesday. Cole said he'd been on the phone with the Virginia Board of Elections to make sure the James City County results are counted ...

http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?S=5650574&nav=ZolHbyvj

Watch this one carefully. According to the state elections board website, there are two Central Absentee Precincts (C001) and (C003) in James City County. (C001) currently shows about 1651 votes and (C003) currently shows zero votes. It's not clear to me from the story whether the county registrar is saying there are 1727 votes in (C003) or 1727 - 1651 = 76. Allen's only behind by about 7300 votes; he has about 2000 vote lead in James City County, possibly not including somewhere between 76 and 1651 + 1727 = 3378 absentee ballots, and Virginia may yet claim none of the James City County votes have been added to the total.

[dpbrown]

32. Webb won! Get over it!

Sore losermans!!!

[Shine]

36. I've heard Webb is already assembling his Transition Team

plus, the Repugs are quietly advising Allen to concede.
http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2006/nov/08/va_sen_redstate_will_allen_and_rnc_really_subject_nation_to_another_florida_2000

I fully expect an Allen concession in the coming days.