Posted on 11/17/2006 9:11:53 PM PST by Omega Man II
11/18/06
Buchanan still ahead after second recount
SARASOTA -- Republican Vernon Buchanan's lead stood at 400 votes as the race's second recount ended Friday at a secure warehouse just outside of town.
Buchanan's battle with Democrat Christine Jennings for the 13th District Congressional seat next moved to the Supervisor of Elections office at 2001 Adams Lane for a count of overseas military ballots. The count was to be completed by 5 p.m. Saturday.
Veterans Lee Kichen and Rich Swier were on hand to observe the count. Swier represented the Sarasota County Veterans Commission, which comprises "over 50 military, veterans and patriotic organizations," he said. "We're here to make sure the military ballots get counted and if something comes up that needs a judgment, that we err on the side of counting the ballot, versus not counting it."
Swier explained there was concern in his ranks about an "effort to get some ballots disqualified. We haven't seen that, but we wanted to make sure that (Supervisor of Elections) Kathy Dent and all the good people certifying the count are erring on the side of counting the vote."
Kichen said, "We want to protect the vote, the franchise of those men and women that are in harm's way today. It's never been more critical, because these kids are voting under some very arduous circumstances. Literally under fire. We also have hospitalized service members that have suffered traumatic wounds where their signature will not be the same (now) on their application as it was before they were wounded."
In the meantime, the Buchanan campaign continued to proclaim victory.
"The votes have been counted, recounted and counted again and each time, I have received a majority of the votes," said Buchanan through a press release handed out at the military count. "It is time now for Christine Jennings to put the best interests of this district first and send home all the liberal special interest groups who hope to use this election to advance their own agenda."
Buchanan's people hope to have his election certified by the state on Monday.
The Jennings camp, however, has other ideas.
In a press release of their own, they called on Buchanan "to help restore voter confidence by participating in the state-ordered audit of Sarasota County's voting system. The Buchanan campaign has delayed hiring experts in a deliberate effort to slow down the process, forcing Circuit Judge Deno Economou to order the Buchanan campaign to retain an expert by Monday in order to participate in negotiations over a fair and transparent process for the audit."
According to David Kochman, Jennings' communications director, "We're hopeful Buchanan's people share the concerns of voters and will aid in seeking answers to what went wrong in causing over 18,000 votes to go uncounted. We're looking for a fair independent audit of the voting system to see what went wrong to cause that system to fail the people of Sarasota."
Jeff Sadosky, communications director for the Republican Party of Florida, said the second recount offered further proof that Buchanan had enough votes to win.
"State law is in place for this very option," Sadosky said. "To go through and make sure nothing was missed. It's been proven again. The results have still borne the fact that Vern was victorious."
Don't worry. The Dems will declare their candidate the winner.
The Dem doesn't have to concede. Concession is NOT a binding rule. What the Secretary of State decides is the end game. The loser is just showing what a bad sportsman he is.
SHE would be a bad sport.
Its amazing that there are at least four House races still undecided (and if I'm correct, we are ahead in all of them) and the MSM doesn't give a flying rats @ss about them because they aren't leaning against the MSM. Not a single race getting covered on Cable News and other than local coverage no national news about the diminishing of the 'tsunami'.
And Republicans concede even at a hint of defeat....even in the cases of evident vote fraud!
The strategy is just like the Washington governor's race two years ago. Dino Rossi, Republican, won the election, won the first recount, and won the second recount. But each time the dems simply "discovered" more "lost" votes which, gosh and golly, all happened to be for the dem candidate, Christine Gregoire. On the next recount, they again miraculously "found" another 500 votes - all dem of course - which got them a slim lead, whereupon they immediately ran off to the nearest judge - dem appointed of course - who quickly certified the elction as she immediately declared herself governor. Why concede when you can recount until the fraud ...er...I mean vote... tally gives the result you want?
"And Republicans concede even at a hint of defeat....even in the cases of evident vote fraud!"
Yup. See my post, #7.
Only a lowdown, rotten a-hole (in other words, a Democrat) would try to disallow a soldier's vote based on this discrepancy.
"It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything."
Joseph Stalin
You are right about the lack of interest in these races by the MSM. I remember after the last election, there was one undecided race in Louisiana, and the MSM focused on it like it could sway the balance of power in the House.
when the lib/dem lose...there is disenfranchisment and illegalities...when they win...not a word.....
the vote counting will go on just like in Washington State...when the lib/dems count and win...they will declare victory even if they lose...the lib/dem/american way!!!
During the Allen/Webb recanvas, I must have heard a dozen times on the MSM about how statewide recounts have never changed the result, and that Webb was surely the winner. Rossi/Gregoire was only a couple of years ago, and it's already down the Memory Hole.
Republicans are not willing to destroy the country in order to win. Democrats are.
Destroying the public's confidence in the voting process in order to win a Congressional seat is like burning down your house because you weren't allowed to pick the TV channel.
Those soldiers have miltary records with their signatures on them. If that isn't good enough for them, to hell with them all.
"Concession is not a binding rule" Where is lil chuckie shoooomer whining about being a good sport when a democrat should concede? I don't hear him now?
Good to know, but I think you were replying to TheLion in post number six, as was I.
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