ABC says Thune wins by 188 votes

ABC.com | ABC vote unit

[Letitring]

I'd like to see Daschel run an HONEST election. Maybe one day I'll have that opportunity.:) I think when the mess hits the fan with THIS one, it should be interesting.

[Charles Henrickson]

Correction: 545 votes with 1 precinct left.

[Kilborn]

HONEST election...those two words means exactly the opposite in today's politics. I read somewhere I had to endure 1,000 political ads this season in South Dakota. They are not public service announcements mind you, they are paid ads...It's unfortunate that acronyms (NRA, AFL-CIO, etc.) run this election, not Carl, Wanda or Ethel down the street...

With that, I feel I'm leaning the wrong way in this little corner of the world...Congrats Republicans - thanks for kicking our...

[Stat Man]

Guess I've always expected Gore to be the nominee again. Either that or somebody who's not really on the radar yet two years before the election as often happens when mounting a challenge to an incumbent president. I figure Hillary to run only if Bush becomes overwhelmingly unpopular... I do think she will run for president someday, but I think she will look for a time with better odds than to run against a popular incumbent.

[justshe]

You might be right re: the turn-out. But I have seen more determination than I have in other races. Gore only won this state by about 5,000 votes.

And AppyPappy makes a good point too, re: whether libertarians would necessarily vote GOP. I always assume the "L" is peeling votes away from the GOP, but that may not be the case. I just see that 5% the "L" candidate is carrying and I boil.

The fat lady isn't singing yet. Still 30% of the vote to go. Hope springs...

[Coop]

I'm in the minority now, but happy nonetheless that I even get a privilege to vote.

Well said!

[VRWC_minion]

No one's fault but our own....

Taking responsibility is not a rat trait. You sure you're a rat ?

[Austin Willard Wright]

Quite bellyaching about the evil Ls. The Ls only flourish when the Rs adopt a me too approach. The Ls help keep a restraint on this moderation. Physician heal thyself.

[Straight Vermonter]

The Mark-sense machine is the only machine in use that is the way to go.

That is the system we use here. I always wondered why more communities did not use this simple, effective system. Could it be more costly than other systems?

[Austin Willard Wright]

That's quit. Not enough coffee yet, or perhaps too much.

[Oberon]

Those 3,000+ libertarian votes would have been nice to have. Alas, some people never learn.....

It's called "holding their feet to the fire." It helps to ensure that Republicans remain true to their stated agenda.

[Straight Vermonter]

Guess I've always expected Gore to be the nominee again. Either that or somebody who's not really on the radar yet two years before the election as often happens when mounting a challenge to an incumbent president.

Howard Dean, outgoing governor of Vermont, has been getting more and more national attention. This guy would energize the Dem base but REALLY energize the conservative base. This guy is so far left he think Hillary is a reactionary j/k. But seriously he has given VT the highest state tax rate in the country, an oppressive regulatory environemnt and gay marriages. The left loves him the right loathes him.

[CatoRenasci]

Sounds like the perfect 'Rat candidate to me! Bring him on! We look forward to 2004 with confidence, I may even say anticipation.

[KriegerGeist]

"The Mark-sense machine is the only machine in use that is the way to go.

"That is the system we use here. I always wondered why more communities did not use this simple, effective system. Could it be more costly than other systems?"

The Mark-sense optical scan machines are used throughout Texas and are widely used in Florida especially those counties that had no problem with either needing a recount or if there was a recount, there were only a handful that changed (if any).
I read that Florida spent something like $70 million dllars to replace just the punch-card districts in South Florida with the new paper-less electroic-ballot touch-screen machines (called DRE for direct-register-entry) that the old folks had a hard time with. I think you could equip an entire state with Mark-sense machines for half that.

Simple is always cheaper.

[Logic_3]

Those 3,000+ libertarian votes would have been nice to have. Alas, some people never learn.....

In Lousiana this problem has been taken care off once and for all!.

[Marysecretary]

PLEEZ, Eric, don't tell the democrats that Clinton is our secret weapon against them.

[Marysecretary]

Yeah, and maybe Bill could be her campaign manager and give all those nice speeches like he did for the other democrats WHO LOST! oOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Go bill! (please)