ABC says Thune wins by 188 votes

ABC.com | ABC vote unit

[xsmommy]

hmmmm....things are pretty quiet on the Losertarian front this AM?

[js1138]

Most states count the absentees as they come in, so they are available on election day.

I can't imagine a scenerio in which More Republican ballots are thrown out than dems.

As for recounts -- if they use optical scanners, the recount won't change by more than 10 votes. In Florida 2000, the optical scanner votes didn't change at all. That's why everyone except South Florida went with them.

[twyn1]

There has to be an automatic recount here -- does anyone know for sure how the absentee ballots are being handled ? A lot of the fraud reports were over absentee ballots from the Indian reservations -- shades of Florida again ??

[pgkdan]

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

What? They're making an important staement, sending a message, making a difference...blah blah blah.

You're right, some people never do learn.

[Letitring]

Over 17,000 NEW registrations since the Primary. In SOUTH DAKOTA, no less. Democrat greed undoes them. Excuse spelling, I've been up all night.:)

[pgkdan]

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

What? They're making an important statement, sending a message, making a difference...blah blah blah.

You're right, some people never do learn.

[Paraclete]

I wouldn't count on a court challenge unless it would by Thune.

IMHO Daschle has a lot to lose right now in SD by pressing too hard.

Think about it: the election being decided by a bunch of dead Indians.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The Democrat Party's 2002 strategy was developed by Terry McAluff and the Clintons.
Go Bubba !

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

I like our system. You have a paper ballot with the names of the candidates and their party. You mark an X alongside the one you want. ;)

I like ours better here in NH. We get to fill in a WHOLE OVAL! ;)

[sauropod]

Just rubbing it in, my friend.....

[Moby Grape]

I fear that recounts, and dem fraud will give this to Johnson...however, once again an LP canidate may have helped elect a dem.

[rintense]

On the other hand, it's been high-fives and smiles where I work!

[sauropod]

We get to connect arrows.....

You got to remember that Baltimore is in my state. Can't confuse the voters too much.....

[sauropod]

I would love to see Ann Coulter on with her this morning. You shoulda seen AC eviscerate Bugeyes Lockhart.

[mathluv]

Little timmy has already said the count will take weeks or months - I guess we will wait and see.

[jps098]

Back in the early and mid 80's, many libertarians still voted for their own. In fact, the party was stronger then, in my state. Sadly, many will never learn.

[ksen]

The irrelevance of L's isn't that heavy on my mind! They're just pitiful....

Let's not start sniping on this day.

A person's vote is their's to do with as they please. The votes have been cast. Instead of berating those who didn't vote the way we did we should be focusing on how we can win those votes back.

BTW, Happy FRee Congress Day! ;^)

[Kilborn]

As one of these DIMorRATS as everyone here puts us, congrats on beating us down and putting our tail on the platter!

As a South Dakotan, the reason why 3 precincts are still left is because of a computer chip that went down in the courthouse computer here in the town that I live in. It went out about 10:00 last night and a chip from Omaha had to be driven from there to here (Mitchell, SD) - about a 4 1/2 trip. When I went to bed this morning about 2 AM, the chip was about 1/2 hour away yet.

When it rains it pours, we would like our butt back please since you guys just beat it off us!

[alwaysconservative]

Don't forget that the Libertarian candidate withdrew from the race AND threw his support to Thune. He tried! But some of these votes may have been absentee ones completed before his withdrawal.

[anniegetyourgun]

We can hope they don't learn their lesson.