Thune Response to Close Vote

KSFY ^ | 11-7-2002

[unspun]

News

Thune Response to Close Vote

After hours of meeting with his campaign staff, Congressman Thune addressed his supporters about the narrow margin of defeat during his race for the U.S. Senate.

Thune: "After a long night and a long morning, the preliminary results of last night's election show Senator Tim Johnson with a 528 vote advantage. The next step in the process is the official canvass of the election results. A canvass is done after each election, and the results will be released as soon as that process is finished. Essentially, the canvass is our election system's process for checking everyone's math."

"If there is a change in the numbers or evidence of irregularities after the official election canvass, I will look at pursuing the next step in the process, which is a formal recount."

"However, I do not wish to put the people of South Dakota through this process unless it is absolutely necessary. Therefore, if there is no change in the vote totals or any irregularities after the official canvass, we will pursue no further action and the results will stand."

"I called Senator Johnson this morning to congratulate him on today's results. I'd like to thank my supporters and all those who've worked so hard on my behalf over the course of the last year. No one would be happier than I to see those numbers change as the process continues. However, if the numbers stand, I am prepared to accept the outcome and know that my supporters and all those who have stood with me during this process will accept the outcome as well."

[Broker]

If Chief Sitting Bull voted, we need to verify his home address. The same goes with the herd of buffalos that voted with him... VERIFY VERIFY all those ballots.

[PGalt]

bump

[Jened]

If Thune is not willing to pursue this and lets the matter die, it will end. If Thune pursues this it could make it look like a sore loser or it could expose the fraud that has already started to be exposed and maybe even lead to meaningful nationwide reform.

[commish]

ONce again the class of Republicans and the utter bottom feeding of Democrats is on full display for the entire world.

Thune is willing to gracefully accept a 527 vote defeat, even in the face of enormous voter fraud. Yet here in Alabama our RAT governor cannot accept a 3085 vote loss, and instead is willing to drag the entire state through the mud by claiming that "votes were stolen after midnight under cover of darkness" when it has been proven that all that happened here was a simple tabulation error in the Numbers that were given to the press.

[wastoute]

Up and fired. Thanks for making it easy.

[hchutch]

Perhaps the best option is to allow Johnson to be seated but reserve the right to change that call (either a new election or seating Thune) the if the FBI investigations uncover more questionable votes than the margin of error. It will take longer, but if the FBI can prove fraud occured, and there's enough of it to raise into question the election... the Senate can make the shift.

Worst case, let Thune take a crack at Daschle in `04.

[wastoute]

When I vote I cast a legitimate vote. A vote that I inform myself beforehand about. A vote that I support with almost HALF my income. When vote fraud takes place that diminishes the value of MY vote. If the Republicans won't PROTECT my vote, I just may quit giving it to them. It is the DUTY of the party I vote for to protect my vote.

[CasearianDaoist]

I think that that is the real story. Thune is keeping his options open for '04. He knows his state better than we do. If he can expose the dems and be gratious, he might be a shoe-in. In the long run I doubt that the people of SD are going to have their futures decided for them by the reservcation vote.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"I called Senator Johnson this morning to congratulate him on today's results. I'd like to thank my supporters and all those who've worked so hard on my behalf over the course of the last year. No one would be happier than I to see those numbers change as the process continues. However, if the numbers stand, I am prepared to accept the outcome and know that my supporters and all those who have stood with me during this process will accept the outcome as well."

That's classy. Much more than I would expect from a litigating, invective hurling, muck-raking, lowlife DemocRAT.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

If one gives in easily it will encourage the opponents to go further the next time.

Exactly. It brings to mind an old Cold War Soviet axiom:

"Probe with a pitchfork. If you encounter mush, probe further. If you encounter steel, back off."

[Irene Adler]

"Perhaps the best option is to allow Johnson to be seated but reserve the right to change that call (either a new election or seating Thune) the if the FBI investigations uncover more questionable votes than the margin of error. It will take longer, but if the FBI can prove fraud occured, and there's enough of it to raise into question the election... the Senate can make the shift."

NO, no, no! Once a Senator has the seat, getting the full Senate to make the switch would be essentially impossible. "Possession is 9/10 of the law"; once someone already has possession of anything it is much harder to get it back. Thune should do whatever he can to hold the seat open until the issue is completely settled. I simply cannot believe he honestly lost that race in a state that Bush carried so handily and visited so often.

Your posts regarding all aspects of this election have shown a consistently defeatist attitude. I question your motives in posting on FR.

[hchutch]

I can undertsand the frustration, wastoute, but HOW we go about protecting the legit votes is a very important consideration, particularly when one considers the skill with which the Dems can race-bait. I am NOT saying roll over and play dead, but instead, to fight this battle SMART.

Perhaps the best option here is to allow Johnson to be seated pending the results of the FBI investigation. The FBI is widely seen as impartial - the reputation they have still exists despite the missteps, so we should use it to our advantage.

If the investigation reveals that there is reason for a reasonable and prudent person to question the outcome of the reace, then the Senate should act. But let the FBI do the work they have been doing SINCE THIS OCTOBER. If it turns out to be fraud, declare the seat vacant and hold a special election.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Agreed!

[sam_paine]

This is not about 528 votes of fraud and demontrickery, it's about 3071 plain-faced out in the open votes for Libertarian Kurt Evans!!!

Abolish the IRS in the upcoming congress, and you won't have to worry about "Independents" voting for Libertarians or Demons in 2004.

[Brookhaven]

Thune is playing this smart.

There are already plenty of "irregularitites" in the vote and Thune knows it. He's playing to the public now.

[#3Fan]

Perhaps the best option is to allow Johnson to be seated but reserve the right to change that call (either a new election or seating Thune) the if the FBI investigations uncover more questionable votes than the margin of error. It will take longer, but if the FBI can prove fraud occured, and there's enough of it to raise into question the election... the Senate can make the shift. Worst case, let Thune take a crack at Daschle in `04.

Yeah, 6 years is a long time. It'd be a shame for Thune to have to wait that long if he feels he can't knock off pork-barrel Daschle.

[MissAmericanPie]

We kept the invoice numbers on our ballots, maybe that would be a good idea for all voters to do. But when they throw in extra votes it wouldn't be much help. What law would allow a judge to keep polls open beyond the legal time? That kind of corruption should be rewarded with being yanked from the bench.

[Brookhaven]

Johnson can't be seated until the election is certified (which should be way before Jan.) Thune still has plenty of time to challenge the election. He should be firm, but not come across as some trying to force the rules to his own advantage.

If the Dems are caught in fraud it will be a huge black mark against the Dems in SD. Thune doesn't want to make himself into the Al Gore of SD. There were many people that might have agreed with Gore in FL, but were so turned off by the way he acted they would never vote for him again.

[The_Victor]

Thune needs to preserve his viability as a candidate. That means no sore loser behavior. He will be back though. Against Dashole in 2 or 4 years perhaps?

[w1andsodidwe]

This state has been in the union quite a while, and this is not their first election. The idea that they don't understand procedure is not believable.