Posted on 11/13/2004 9:48:14 PM PST by ambrose
More votes counted, Rossi still leads
As partisans headed to the courthouse in a ballot dispute Friday, Republican Dino Rossi and Democrat Christine Gregoire dueled to a near-draw in Washington's vote count for governor.
After Gregoire's stronghold, King County, reported updated figures Friday afternoon, Rossi's lead of about four-thousand votes shriveled to just a few hundred out of 2-point-8 million ballots counted. That was just two one-hundreths of a percentage point.
As smaller counties reported in, Rossi built back a bit of the lead he has held for the past three days. The latest figures show him with a 1,677-vote margin.
Next Wednesday is the deadline for counties to certify their returns. Both campaigns say it's unlikely a winner will be declared until then, and that court challenges or a recount could delay it even longer.
A recount is automatic if the final gap is less than 2,000 votes.
An estimated 54,000 votes remain to be counted.
Washington has the country's last unsettled governor's race. Eleven contests were on the ballot this year.
Republicans are assured of at least maintaining their control of 28 governor's mansions; a Rossi win would be a net gain of one.
Gregoire is carrying seven of the state's 39 counties: Cowlitz, Jefferson, King, Pacific, San Juan, Thurston and Whatcom. Rossi is winning everywhere else -- by large margins in some cases, particularly Eastern Washington.
Meanwhile, state Democrats won a potentially important victory today when a judge ordered King County elections officials to turn over the names of 929 voters whose ballots are in dispute. Democrats say they plan to contact those listed to ensure their votes count.
Both sides say the election apparently will be settled by such ballots, which include disputed registrations, votes cast by people away from their home precincts, and signature problems.
Thanks Ambrose.
At this rate Locke just won reelection.
looks good if Rossi is still leading after King County dumped its votes...
Kick that liberal witch out already!
It does. I have praying on this every night.
Actually I believe Rossi is ahead by 1920 votes as of the latest update available.
I hope this wakes up the Washington voters who didn't get the message loud and clear with the whole Cantwell fiasco.
Don't buy into the LP BS!
It is amazing that Rossi even made this a race in a liberal toilet like Washington. Now that he looks like he can squeak in, I sure hope he doesn't get it stolen.
I just double checked the Secretary of State link from the state website and Rossi is ahead 1,920 as of Saturday morning. If the Dems turn this into another Florida, I sure hope the uninformed voters wake up.
I think we will be in the 08 Presidental election before this one gets settled.
Fantastic. Another foothold for the Republican Revolution. Today Washington, tomorrow California.
Regards, Ivan
Maria Cantwell I bet is rooting for Rossi to win the Governor's race. If Dino were to lose he automatically become the Republican candidate for Cantwell's Senate seat in 2006. Due to having his name in the spotlight and being a quality candidate in a liberal state I am sure The RNC would write him a blank check.
Crap. I thought this was a thread about Nixon beating Kennedy because of fraud and improper recounts. My bad. Commence recounting...
I can assure you that Maria Cantvotewell wants Christine Gregoire to win the Governor's race, not Rossi. The Governor will hold a very influential position over state politics -- not to mention the hundreds of new political appointments.
Cantvotewell will face a good challenge in four years time, no doubt, but the GOP put a huge effort and $$ into the Nethercutt race this year and it came up short by a large margin. Lastly, I also doubt if Rossi would want to move his young family to DC.
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