Jim Webb declared victory over Sen. George Allen just a little bit ago without bothering to wait for Allen to concede, because he’s a bad-ass like that. I guess you could say that we “pushed their soft teeth down their whining throats.” If, you know, you were a real asshole.
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Feel good, Waldo?
:)
Waldo,
Being new to the state I do wonder if it is really over. Have all the abesentee ballots been counted? Can there be the dreaded recount?
I did vote for Allen but I do think that Webb will be good also.
Thanks Waldo, for all you do on the net.
Larry Rouse
Larry,
Most of the uncounted ballots are from districts that lean heavily towards Democrats. Including the absentee ballots (already sorted by district). If anything, Webb’s margin is likely to increase. Yes, there can and should be a recount so that we can all have full confidence in the result. No, recounts do not tend to shift the count by more than a few hundred votes at the most. Jim Webb *is* now Senator Webb and I think that he’s going to be hugely popular among both Democrats and Republicans in Virginia.
A state-funded recount is mandatory if the margin is less than one half of one percent. The current tally shows a difference of about one third of a percent, so, at this stage, a recount seems likely.
Yay. :P
Our Founding Fathers are relaxing once again in their graves. The republic will endure.
(And what’s that sound I hear from Monticello? Why, I believe it’s Mr. Jefferson humming, Happy Days Are Here Again!)
This morning my teeth felt fine Waldo, I am disappointed but not suprised. Allen has lost this election but it is too early to concede considering the tightness of the race. Webb was right to claim victory as well. The current difference is too much to overcome with a recount. This is going to be a story for weeks unless the margin increases a whole lot. A few things jump out from the poll.
1. The defeat of the marriage act in Albemarle County was at the same percentage as for Webb. Albemarle county is clearly no longer a republican area and it isn’t going to change back for the foreseeable future.It is somewhat ironic that since most Democrats are antigrowth that this political shift has come as a direct result of growth in the county.
2. With 77% of Charlottesville voting no on the marriage act it can be claimed that Charlottesville is the most gay friendly are in the state of Virginia. This is the same percentage of the vote that Webb got so you could also say that the city is the most democratic/anti allen area in the entire state.
3. Northern Virginia now has become the seat of power. Next year’s election will show if this has a backlash. Also it it too much to ask the the “most advanced and progressive” areas in the state get ther act together and learn how to count votes in a timely manner? Next time someone from Nothern Virginia talk about how superior they are ask when they are going to use some of that fancy technology to learn how to count votes- it’s embarassing.
4. If the republican party is remains unwilling to embrace moderates in a more meaningful way they will become a minority party with a speed that will astonish them.
5. Allen lost this election because “he didn’t play ’em one game at a time”. His replacing of his former staff with people who were going to get him elected president cost him this election. Considering how well he had run his other campaigns it is shocking how badly the wheels came off this election. Not even the Marriage act’s large win could save him. Many thought attacking Webb’s fiction was beyond the pale, Allen paid the price for that. If you can’t run a election without looking this inept why should people vote for you to help run the country.
6. It will be interesting to see what kind of Senator Webb is. He is not going to be very liberal. Many votes for Webb(who I think is a good guy BTW)were really just anti-Allen vote. He has a blank slate that I am curious to see how he fills it out.
As poorly as Allen campaigned, the results aren’t a surprise. I hope that this doesn’t get as ugly as I think it will! For his future’s sake, Allen should handle himself as graciously as possible. As cvillejosh pointed out, Webb has a blank slate; the funny thing was that after 6 years as a legislator, Allen still maintained a blank slate. Why else would one campaign so negatively?
And this from someone who voted for Allen!
Great observations, Josh.
It’s elections like this that give momentum to the third-party movements. The next 2 years will be very interesting, and not all that comfortable. If the Dems–whether through their own lack of leadership or due to conflict with the still-Republican executive branch–do not do a sufficient job of addressing the wrongs established in the last 12 years of Republican control, then 2008 could become a big year for independent candidate breakthroughs all over the electoral map.