He continued:
As with any write-in campaign, the burden of execution rests with the candidate whose name is not on the ballot. Candidates who mount a write-in campaign opt for an uphill battle. At this point, without a single write-in ballot counted, Lisa Murkowski has no claim on a victory.
"In short, this campaign is not over!" Miller said.
Full statement here.
]]>Wistful and elegiac, Rep. Jim Oberstar bowed out Wednesday after serving 18 terms in U.S. House and becoming one of its most powerful members.]]>
"I go in peace of mind and heart, but in sadness" Oberstar said during an early-afternoon news conference. "I loved the opportunity to serve the people of this district."
Spokesman Brian Walsh said in an e-mail:
The NRSC has been assisting the Miller campaign from day one and we continue to assist his campaign. There are still thousands of ballots left to be counted in the days ahead, and it will be at least two weeks before the write-in ballots will be reviewed, so like everyone else we will continue to closely monitor this race as it unfolds.]]>
Fresh off Tuesday's resounding victory, Andrew M. Cuomo and his aides began shifting into full-time transition mode Wednesday, wasting little time in preparing for what are expected to be difficult battles on the budget, property taxes and ethics legislation starting Jan. 1 when Mr. Cuomo moves into the governor's office.]]>
For Mr. Cuomo, that means not just the usual post-election duties -- like endless rounds of thank-you calls to friends, donors, and supporters -- but also preparing a virtual government-in-waiting and finalizing his first budget proposal, due just weeks after he is sworn in.
Read the full story here.
]]>"Some election nights are more fun than others. Some are exhilarating. Some are humbling," said the President.
Watch here.
]]>The three-member electoral board of Faixfax County is currently in the midst of canvassing the election results, a spokeswoman for the country government confirmed to TPMMuckraker. One of the individuals sitting on that board is Hans von Spakovsky, a Bush-era Justice Department official who came under fire from Democrats after allegations that he helped politicize the Civil Rights Division and placed an undue emphasis on voter fraud and identification that critics say often suppresses minority voter turnout.
]]>"This should not be a partisan issue," he added.
]]>"It is very important that we're not taking a whole bunch of money out of the system from people who are most likely to spend that money," Obama continued.
So, he said, he hopes that he can sit down with Republicans "and see where we can move forward in a way that first of all does no harm," but "how that negotiation works itself out is tough to say."
Obama added that he hopes "we're not gonna play brinkmanship."
We have seen significant accomplishments over the last two years --more children have health care, more Americans are protected from predatory practices on Wall Street, and more students can afford to go to college. But Republicans and corporate front groups like the Chamber of Commerce, aided by FOX News, systematically misled the American people about the nature of those gains.
He added that he understands Eric Cantor wants a ban on earmarks, and he thinks that's something they can make progress on together.
]]>"No party has a monopoly on wisdom," he said.
]]>"As president I take responsibility for that," Obama said.
]]>"Thank you to everyone who made this victory possible, who gave so much to our campaign, working tirelessly to ensure we leave more for the next generation," the wall post reads.
]]>"While a lot of other Democrats ran away from their support for the Recovery Act and health insurance reform, Russ Feingold didn't, he stood by those votes and President Obama's effort to do the right thing... I would chalk up any Beltway chatter about Russ running against President Obama as simply Washington getting wee-wee'd up on the first day of new election cycle that is two years away."]]>
From the release:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks with Diane Sawyer in her first television interview since the Democrats lost control of the House of Representative. With a legacy that will be as much about the ambitious agenda she pursued as the history she made in 2007 when she became the first woman to ever hold the rank of Speaker - is there anything she would have done differently? They will discuss the lessons that have been learned from the election that saw a sweeping tide of Republican wins as well as what is next for the soon to be former-Speaker.
The interview will air tonight at 6:30
]]>Dannel Malloy has won the election for governor, and there will be no statewide recount, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz announced this afternoon.]]>
Earlier, Bysiewicz had said a recount ? required when the margin between candidates is less than one half of 1 percent of the total vote ? may not be needed.
"I'd like to thank Mike Pence for his work as Chairman of the Republican Conference and wish him the best as he continues to represent the people of Indiana and decides his next step," Cantor said. "Moving forward, I believe that there is no better choice than Jeb Hensarling to serve as the next Chairman of the House Republican Conference."
In its earliest stages, the GOP's leadership transition is going just about as planned.
]]>He also said that all of the "new Republicans coming into the Senate will give Mitch McConnell a lot more horsepower."
]]>"My advice to folks is hire good lawyers and understand this is not simply about earning votes anymore, it's about counting votes," he said. "It's all about the counting ... I won on election night."
]]>"Let her run," he said on The View today. "If she's as bad as you think, she'll lose. If she can really make her case, she will win."
]]>"I think it's very important that we look at ACORN as something that occurred, it was criminal activity and it used government money and nonprofit money both to do politics. There's certainly going to be other examples on the left and on the right where we at least have to deny them nonprofit status and government money if what they're doing is being overtly political," Issa said.
]]>Just 51 percent of voters said Cuomo was honest and trustworthy, while 47 percent said he was not.]]>
Twenty-five percent of those who said they voted for Cuomo said they did so, even though they did not think he was honest and trustworthy.
"But the electoral math seemed to favor the three-term incumbent. She captured 62 percent of the votes counted Tuesday night in King County. It's estimated nearly 350,000 additional votes remain to be counted there -- more than a third of the total uncounted votes statewide."
]]>Watch here.
]]>With nearly all precincts reporting, the three justices -- David Baker, Michael Streit and Chief Justice Marsha Ternus -- were voted out by an average margin of 55% to 45%.
Last year, the Iowa Supreme Court's seven justices voted unanimously to legalize same-sex marriage in the state, making them a target of groups like the National Organization for Marriage, the American Family Association and the Family Research Council, who declared the ruling a case of gross judicial activism and usurpation of power.
]]>Now -- as the expected chairmen of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the House Judiciary Committee, respectively -- they're the proud new holders of subpoena power, will have a much more robust unit of investigators and will likely be a huge thorn in the side of President Obama and his top cabinet members.
]]>"It's hard to elect somebody that conservative for senator from" Delaware, he said.
]]>On an otherwise disappointing night for New York Republicans, the party appeared to be on the verge of either retaking the State Senate or throwing the chamber into a tie, but a few crucial races remained undecided in the morning hours.]]>
Much was at stake: The next Legislature will redraw district lines for the next decade, not just for state seats, but also for Congressional ones in New York.
In the early hours of Wednesday, both sides were claiming victory in the overall Senate battle. But based on the results through 9 a.m., the Senate would be split 31-31. Three races remained undecided -- two leaning Democratic and one leaning Republican -- leaving the ultimate outcome uncertain.
In a stunning victory, Republicans swept into the majority in the Minnesota Senate for the first time in more than a generation and by early Wednesday had followed that by also taking control of the House.]]>
The dual victories left many of the state's top DFLers speechless, and erased months of optimistic projections that the party would buck a nationwide trend toward Republicans.
"When Republicans were in charge we doubled the debt. When Democrats were in charge they're tripling the debt," he said.
The first amendment question asked if voters thought that hunting and fishing should be a constitutional right in the Palmetto State. Amendment One would also allow the state to provide "proper wildlife management" and the protection of "private property rights."]]>
The second amendment, that would allow for union voting to be done by secret ballot also passed.
The third and fourth amendments dealth with the state's "Rainy Day" fund, or their General Reserve Fund and Capital Reserve Funds. The passing of Amenment Three requires that the state put 5 percent of the previous year's revenue into the fund, rather than the previously required 3 percent. The passing of Amendment Four requires that the Capital Fund's first priority is to replenish the "Rainy Day Fund" instead of offsetting midyear budget cuts to state agencies.
The man responsible for getting the issue on the ballot, State Representative Rex Duncan, argued that the measure "will constitute a pre-emptive strike against Shariah law coming to Oklahoma."]]>
The measure amends the state constitution to forbid "courts from considering or using Sharia Law." It defines Sharia as Islamic law "based on two principal sources, the Koran and the teaching of Mohammed."
Republican Rick Scott proclaimed himself the next governor of Florida as he clung to a narrow lead this morning over Democrat Alex Sink in one of the closest, costliest and most politically significant gubernatorial slugfests in the country.]]>
With all but a fraction of the votes counted at 7 a.m., Scott held at 48.81 percent to Sink's 47.8 percent -- less than 53,000 votes.
Many of the people who will be welcoming the new class of Senate conservatives to Washington never wanted you here in the first place. The establishment is much more likely to try to buy off your votes than to buy into your limited-government philosophy. Consider what former GOP senator-turned-lobbyist Trent Lott told the Washington Post earlier this year: "As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them."]]>
Don't let them. Co-option is coercion. Washington operates on a favor-based economy and for every earmark, committee assignment or fancy title that's given, payback is expected in return. The chits come due when the roll call votes begin. This is how big-spending bills that everyone always decries in public always manage to pass with just enough votes.
U.S. Reps. Gabrielle Giffords' and Raúl Grijalva's re-election races were too close to call early today as the vote count continued overnight.]]>
Both Democrats held leads of a few thousand over Republican challengers Jesse Kelly and Ruth McClung, respectively, with at least 35,000 Pima County votes still to count.
Shortly before 11 p.m. Grijalva gave a victory speech to supporters at his campaign headquarters, but with many uncounted ballots also remaining in the outlying counties that make up parts of both districts, the races remained close even early this morning.
Rep. Jim Oberstar, who for 18 terms represented one of the safest Democratic seats in the nation, was swept out of office by Republican Chip Cravaack, a newcomer to politics.]]>
Cravaack won 48 percent to 47 percent.
"My story and this night proved that 'difficult' is not synonymous with 'impossible.'"
Read more here.
]]>"Over the last four years, the Democratic Majority in the House took courageous action on behalf of America's middle class to create jobs and save the country from the worst economic catastrophe since the Great Depression.
Our Members and candidates ran remarkable campaigns led by the superb leadership of DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen.
"The outcome of the election does not diminish the work we have done for the American people. We must all strive to find common ground to support the middle class, create jobs, reduce the deficit and move our nation forward."
]]>Results from Boulder to date show Bennet with almost 67% of the vote (and Buck with less than 40,000 votes overall). Results from Denver to date show Bennet with a 71% lead.
]]>Watch here.
]]>Watch here.
]]>Bachmann replied: "I think the American people are the ones that finally are speaking tonight. We're coming out of our trance, really we're coming out of our nightmare. I think that people are thrilled tonight. I imagine that thrill is probably not quite so tingly on your leg anymore."
Watch here.
]]>"The Democrats are losing control of Congress, and they President is going to have a very hard time pushing through the agenda that he was able to push through with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid without Nancy Pelosi running the House," Pappas said.
"If you look at some of the candidates that are winning, these are the Tea Party backed candidates that the establishment wasn't so excited about at first. Rand Paul has won in Kentucky, Marcio Rubio has won in Florida, Mike Lee has won in Utah. Those are great new candidates that don't fit the usual mold of Republican Senator."
"I think it is going to change the center of gravity in Washington," he said. "I think we're going to see a new type of debate."
]]>With 9.593 of 9,910 precincts reporting, Kasich leads 50.3%-47.3% and the AP and Fox News have called the race.
]]>Lynn Sweet reports on what he's doing tonight:
Quipped an aide: "He's with friends and a bottle of Jack Daniels."]]>
"We just didn't sell 'em," he said.
]]>"[N]ot a single vote" from the liberal city of Madison has been counted yet.
"We are confident that this race is going to tighten, it is going to tighten quickly, and we may be in for a long night here," he said.
]]>Despite record election achievements by African-Americans in the House, the United States Senate will not have an African-American in its ranks.]]>All three black Senate candidates, Kendrick Meek (D-FL), Alvin Greene (D-SC) and Mike Thurmond (D-GA) are projected to lose tonight. The only incumbent black senator, Roland Burris (Ill.-D), is retiring.
Watch here.
]]>Watch here.
]]>"Tonight there's a tea party tidal wave, and we're sending a message to them," said Paul.
Watch it here.
"Tonight there's a tea party tidal wave, and we're sending a message to them," said Paul.
Watch it here.
Giannoulias and Kirk have been battling it out in a close race for months, trying to win President Obama's old Senate seat.
]]>He called tonight's wins by Republicans in races across the country evidence that Americans have caught a case of "buyer's remorse" when it comes to President Obama, and he hinted that his new expanded caucus will see to it that remorse turns into opposition.
"I'm going to be the leader of huge army," he said to cheers here.
]]>Sestak has surged in the polls in recent weeks -- though Toomey had retained a small lead. If Sestak came from behind to beat Toomey -- much as he came from behind to beat Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) in the Democratic primary in the spring -- it would likely be one of the biggest upsets of the night. And it would go a long way to helping Dems keep their Senate majority.
]]>She also said Republicans have a "No moderates welcome" sign on the door.
]]>"We're likely to end up with a Democrat in White House, Republican governors, a Democratic Senate, and a Republican house," he said.
"It's a tough night for us in the House. But the big picture nationally is you guys have to work together, we're seeing progress and I think we're gonna see an awful lot more."
Tonight, however, he defeated Democratic Rep. Charlie Melancon in one of the most vicious campaigns of the 2010 cycle.
]]>"Those were the [seats] who were expected to be called," he said of the first returns.
When a reporter from a different outlet told him that her network had already called a GOP takeover of the House, a visibly flustered Van Hollen insisted repeatedly "I think that's a mistake."
]]>Oklahoma also approved propositions that make English the official language and require photo identification at the polls.
]]>"To our grassroots who got up early and knocked on doors late, we thank you," Steele said. "Thank you for helping us to pull this elephant, if you will, across the finish line. To turn the elephant to face the future."
]]>With 0% of precincts reporting, CNN projects that Cuomo is the winner.
]]>A senior Dem source says one exit poll has them down by a point. The other has it dead even.
]]>Hill first won the seat in 1998, later losing it narrowly in 2004. He came back and won it again in the very Democratic year of 2006, held it again in 2008 -- and ultimately lost it again in another Republican year in 2010.
]]>Late Update: ABC and CBS have called VA-02 for Rigell. That's three Democrats losing in Virginia, with a possible fourth on the way.
]]>She said after those cuts were made, they could have "an adult conversation" about Medicare and Social Security.
]]>With 649 of 6,881 precincts reporting, Rubio leads Crist and Meek 51.6-28.9-19.5. CNN and Fox News have called the race for Rubio.
]]>"I'm calling to let everyone know that Gov. O'Malley and President Obama have been successful. Our goals have been met. The polls were correct, and we took [inaudible]," the message says. "We're okay. Relax. Everything is fine. The only thing left is to watch on TV tonight."
The robocalls reportedly went out sometime before 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, but the polls in Maryland don't close until 8 p.m.
]]>LAS VEGAS -- There have been no official reports of voting irregularities Tuesday in Nevada, according to an official in the Secretary of State's Elections Division.]]>Rumors persist in southern Nevada of voting machines pre-programmed with Sen. Harry Reid's (D) name selected, the official said. But no voters who experienced that directly have come forward to file a complaint.
Three Americans have cast their ballots from the most remote polling station in the solar system - the International Space Station, soaring 220 miles above the earth.]]>Navy Capt. Scott Kelly, U.S. Army Col. Douglas Wheelock and physicist Shannon Walker used a special "secure line" to the Johnson Space Center, which relayed the votes to the astronauts' respective home counties.
"It's an honor and a privilege to exercise our right as U.S. citizens to vote from the International Space Station," said Kelly, who said he voted on Sunday.
Observers said she was not carrying a sign and did not appear to be soliciting votes for any specific candidate.
]]>"After a spirited campaign, voters in the Bluegrass State rebuked the Democrats' misleading attacks and reckless spending agenda and elected Dr. Rand Paul as their U.S. Senator this evening. Kentuckians chose a commonsense leader who will work tirelessly to rein in the Obama Administration's job-killing tax hikes, out-of-control debt, and unpopular health care overhaul. I look forward to welcoming Senator-elect Paul to our nation's capital as we fight to restore much-needed accountability in Washington."]]>
As of 3 p.m., 100K had voted in Clark County. 190K had been forecast, but that seems unlikely. Tunrout may be lower than expected. #rft
At first glance, this could be bad news for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, but it also depends largely on how turnout works out everywhere else.
]]>"I'm gonna set my sights fairly low," said Paul. "I'd just like to have the Balanced Budget Amendment passed in the first couple of months."
]]>Fox provided a photo of the individual and reported that he was seen outside the polling place "wearing a pin that indicated his party affiliation, along with a black hat, sunglasses and leather coat." The polling location, Guild House West, is located in a majority African-American neighborhood in northern Philadelphia.
]]>Rep. Tom Perriello's Charlottesville, Va., office was vandalized last night -- and the vandal posted a sign for the Democrat's opponent, Republican Robert Hurt, outside the building.]]>
The office was unoccupied early in the morning, between the hours of 2 a.m. and about 5:30 a.m., Perriello spokeswoman Jessica Barba told POLITICO. The intruder bent a screen and stole a box of door hangers that had been prepared for volunteers, who were to leave them for voters to direct them to the correct polling place.
University of Virginia students received fliers on their doors, pointing them to the wrong polling place, and the incident has been reported to police.
I got so obsessed with [C-SPAN] that it was kind of interfering with my life. Sarah Palin came on, and I thought, Oh, fuck, this is the end. Because a dumb woman is a dumb woman." On the subject of Arizona governor Jan Brewer, Cher says, "She was worse than Sarah Palin, if that is possible. This woman was like a deer in headlights. She's got a handle on the services of the state, and I would not let her handle the remote control.
Just in case you were wondering.
]]>A perfect coda to the Nevada Senate race: In a radio interview this morning, Sharron Angle blamed the media for her campaign's decision to shut it out, slamming the press as "unprofessional" and adding that she thinks candidates should teach the media a "lesson" whenever they have the "opportunity."]]>
Angle also described that recent episode where a reporter tried to ask her questions in an airport as "an ordeal."
[H/T Gawker.]
]]>"I think we were very firm, we had to be very firm with some of the polling place challengers who wanted to have more range in the polling place than the law permitted them to," County Elections Manager Rachel Smith told TPMMuckraker. She said challengers were "having some questions" about where in the polling place they were allowed to stand.
]]>As the Guardian reported:
On election day, McCain told the crowd: "We are going to kick Harry Reid out of his penthouse at the Ritz-Carlton and send him back to [his hometown of] Searchlight!"
During the home stretch of the campaign, Angle attacked Reid for living at the Ritz-Carlton, and falsely accused him on the campaign trail of going to Washington poor and enriching himself through his office. (Reid became wealthy as a lawyer and real-estate investor in the private sector, before he was ever elected to Congress.)
As Andrew Sullivan pointed out, this is the same John McCain who lost track of how many houses he owns during the 2008 presidential campaign.
]]>The record level of overall enthusiasm is primarily the result of Republicans' heightened excitement -- 63% of Republicans (including Republican-leaning independents) say they are more enthusiastic than usual about voting. That not only greatly exceeds Democrats' expressed enthusiasm this year, but also is substantially higher than what Gallup has measured for either party's supporters on the eve of a midterm election.]]>
The high level of Republican enthusiasm has led to the largest gap in enthusiasm by party of any recent midterm elections, 19 percentage points. The prior highs were nine points in favor of the Democrats in 2006, and nine points in favor of the Republicans in 1994.
So here are TPM's favorites...
]]>The DCCC will "have eyes and ears already on the ground, looking out for anything suspicious," Hoyer said in the e-mail. "They also have legal teams ready to be dispatched at a moment's notice any place where a recount is likely so we can decisively challenge all irregularities," he added.
]]>Asked on Fox News if he feels bad when his Senate colleagues lose, McCain said, "Yes, and if I may say so, I've grown to have the greatest respect and affection for my friend, Russ Feingold. He's an honest man, a man of great integrity, and I've grown to appreciate him more than ever. And it looks like he might be a casualty tomorrow."]]>
Voter turnout has been heavy this morning throughout the region, with a battle to replace Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond leading the charge to the polls.]]>
After a federal judge decided on Monday that "'tea party' T-shirt or any apparel that does not express support for or opposition to" a candidate, proposition or political party on the ballot should be allowed, a Maricopa County election official said she would not be able to retrain poll workers less than a day before the election. So Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell told the Arizona Republic she'll let any apparel in.
]]>"Bravo Miss Angle," Colbert said as he put up a picture of Saddam Hussein. "It has been a while since we've had a strong leader from a desert land who uses decoys."
Watch here.
]]>It turns out it was something even stupider. As TPM reported previously, Fox News hosts complained that Obama's use of "back of the bus" is a racially insensitive invocation of Rosa Parks. "If this is a racial metaphor," Stewart said, "you aren't Rosa Parks. You're Miss Daisy."
Watch here.
]]>Publicly, operatives from both parties said they are focused on winning elections. But attorneys and volunteers have already begun fanning out across the country, setting up camp in key tossup states -- Colorado, West Virginia, Nevada, Washington and California -- to monitor elections and be prepared for any recount fights.]]>
A record number of voters have cast early ballots for a midterm election.]]>
The total number of early votes has topped 16 million, according to one preliminary analysis, and is on track to be slightly shy of the historic number of early ballots cast in the 2008 presidential election.
From Florida to California, third-party candidates pulling a point or two of the vote on Election Day might make the difference between winning and losing.]]>
"Forty-seven is the new 50," a Democratic official closely watching House races told Roll Call.
Voter turnout is reportedly higher than normal, shocking polls workers across the Lehigh Valley area who were not expecting much interest in races for key positions like senator in Washington, D.C., and governor in Harrisburg.]]>
One aspect of the 2010 midterm elections will be all but settled by the time polls open today: The Supreme Court's decision earlier this year to throw out political spending restrictions has dramatically expanded the flow of money in federal elections.]]>
"We're seeing a sea change in American politics unfolding here," said Fred Wertheimer, a campaign finance reform advocate and president of Democracy 21.
As of Monday, outside groups had spent $294.4 million in the runup to Election Day, more than every other midterm cycle since 1990 combined, according to the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org. This cycle's price tag is also just shy of spending totals for unions and politically minded nonprofit organizations during the 2008 election cycle, when a protracted presidential campaign pushed outside spending to $301.7 million.
Despite a deluge of campaign spending over the last few months by Republican-leaning outside groups, Democratic candidates and their allies have outspent Republicans over all on television advertising in House races, according to data provided by Kantar Media's Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks political advertising. In Senate races, however, Republicans outspent Democrats.]]>
Wisconsin's "pretty much over," he said, suggesting he's certain Republican Ron Johnson will defeat incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold.
]]>Joe wasn't having it: "I congratulate you on having the most disingenuous answer of the 2010 election season."
Barbour fired back: "You don't just give it a cursory thought when you're having a beer with your buddies. It takes very serious consideration."
]]>Secretary of State Sam Reed predicts that 66 percent of Washington's 3.6 million voters - nearly 2.4 million - will vote in Tuesday's election.]]>
His office says that would be the biggest participation since 1970.
More than a thousand people packed into a chilly University of Pennsylvania quadrangle to hear first lady Michelle Obama tell young voters to support candidates who will help her husband advance his unfinished agenda.]]>
Mrs. Obama told attendees at the Monday evening rally that digging out of the recession's depths is difficult. But she said "we have come too far" to stop advancing health care and educational opportunities.
According to a press release sent out Monday evening, registered Republican political activist, Andrée McLeod announced she had filed a complaint (check it out here) with the Federal Elections Commission against GOP nominee Joe Miller's U.S. Senate campaign.]]>
According to the release, "U.S. Senate candidates flying on private aircraft in connection with campaign activities must pay the equivalent charter rate for the type of airplane used. Miller has been flying on a plane owned by Fairbanks lawyer Tom Wickwire. But, according to Miller's July FEC report, although he flew at least three times on Wickwire's plane, Miller only paid for the fuel and not the full charter price for comparable trips.
"It's crazy isn't it? It's in a parallel universe," Clinton said.
]]>According to the Dispatch:
McAdams' personnel file reflects a fairly unremarkable career there. A dependable and likeable employee by all accounts, he was given regular merit raises and received good]]>
WWE "might be operating in ignorance of applicable federal criminal law" wrote Richard C. Pilger, Director of DOJ's Election Crimes Branch in a letter (PDF) to the WWE. The letter explained that federal law -- specifically section 1973i(c) of Title 42 of the United States Code -- "makes it a federal offense to pay or offer to pay an individual a thing of value for voting."
]]> Joe Miller: 27.1%
Scott McAdams: 25.9%
Another candidate you have to write in: 25.3%
Undecided: 21.7%
Nearly 147,000 voters had cast absentee ballots as of Monday, according to the state Election Commission. Nearly 10,000 additional voters had requested absentee ballots but had yet to return them. They have until 7 p.m. Tuesday to do so. People can vote absentee in person at county election offices through 5 p.m. Monday.
The most recent high point for midterm absentee voting was 2006, when 75,651 ballots were cast as Sanford easily won a second term. But absentee voting has been higher in presidential contests. The record was set in 2008, when nearly 342,400 South Carolina residents voted absentee.
]]>Hurt (R) - 45%
Perriello (D) - 42%
Clark (I) - 6%
If the poll was on the night of Obama's visit, I doubt they got in touch with any of the ~10K at the rally. On the other hand, I'm not sure Clark will really end up with 6%.
]]>Cook also laid down a warning marker for several veterans, placing House Transportation Committee chairman and 18-term Rep. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, 14-term Rep. Rick Boucher of Virginia and seven-term Rep. Mike McIntyre into the Toss Up category.
"For the first time since early voting began in 2004, more Republicans than Democrats cast ballots in the two-week run up to Tuesday's general election."
]]>