IF you were really "there", you'd know that the timing of the announcment was only minutes from poll closing time and that those that truly intended to vote had done so already. I do not believe that 10,000 Panhandle voters were dissuaded from voting in the final minutes of the voting day. Where were the first hand accounts? The letters to the editor in the News Journal, or any of the panhandle papers? I never saw them or even heard of them.
You are asking me to believe that there were at least 10,000 serious voters who were so serious about voting that they waited until the final minutes of the day to vote and that they were so serious about voting that they were either in line to vote (serious lines don't exist in the rural) or enroute and so serious about voting that when they heard the news they turned around enroute or got out of line, thus refusing to vote for any other candidate or ballot initiative? There werew at least 10,000 of these folks, yet no news stories or even thrid hand acounts?
Of course when the pollsters call, no one is going to admit that they blew off voting when the results were so close. No, it is just easier to claim that they intended to vote but decided not to when they heard the news.
And I was there. I was in Pensacola, Crestview, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee for rallies, vote counting, etc. I never met anyone who failed to vote due to the early call, did not meet anyone who claimed to know anyone who failed to vote, didn't read any stories regarding any first or second hand accounts.
For the Republicans, it is a convenient excuse, but one that doesn't hold up to scrutiny.