November 9, 2006
Senate Control Shifts to Democrats; Virginia Votes Still Being Canvassed
Though canvassing is still being done in Virginia in the Senate race between Republican incumbent George Allen and Democrat challenger Jim Webb, the AP and other news organizations named Webb the winner, with his narrow margin of 7,000 votes over Allen. And the Democrats seized that news excitedly. The NY Times reports Senator Charles Schumer, who headed the Democratic campaign to take back Senate seats, as saying,"It is virtually 100 percent that Webb is going to win the race. I think you can say without any hesitancy or doubt that Democrats are going to be the majority party in the Senate."
President Bush told reporters that the Democrats' Election Day success "was a thumpin'". Yes, it certainly was - especially with yesterday's resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. And you have to wonder how the elections might have turned out had Rumsfeld resigned earlier. The President said the move was in the works for at least a few days before the election and that he didn't "want to inject a major decision about this war in the final days of a campaign." Well, you don't have to wonder - but the GOP probably does.
It's a sweet moment of Brooklyn's own Senator Schumer, whose moments in the sun usually get eclipsed by Hillary Clinton. He told reporters, "The president called and said jokingly, 'I wish you were on my team.'" As for the Virginia race, some sources say that Allen "has no intention of dragging this out" and may concede this afternoon or evening if the margin of votes does not change.
Editorials around the region: The NY Times has an editorial about the Democrats taking control of the House: "The House Democrats are perfectly capable of replicating the Republicans’ fall from grace. " Newsday adds that the "change in the House majority was more a rejection of Republicans than an embrace of Democrats." The Post says W is listening to voters and the Sun talks about why the Republicans lost.
Photograph of Richmond City Board of Elections election canvasser Clement Woodward by Steve Helber/AP; photograph of post-Election Day Senator Schumer by Dennis Cook/AP
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You would think after the Florida bebacle of 2000 the Democrats would wait a day before claiming victory in Virginia. It's not even January and they're off to an arrogant start.
This is NOTHING like the Florida recount of 2000. The press has learned from their mistakes... mostly. There were too many factors in play in Florida that contributed to that voting debacle.
But in the end... the republicans can’t scratch up the votes they need to overcome that deficit.
But in the end... the republicans can’t scratch up the votes they need to overcome that deficit.
didn't say they would. and they'll concede today but it looks really tacky to declare victory when there is still some uncertainty. politiicans usually wait until the other guy concedes.
"politiicans usually wait until the other guy concedes"
I don't know *what* you are basing that on - it seems pretty common for the other side to put pressure on the apparent loser to concede. Isn't that what happened in '04?
the republicans lost because they have controlled the three branches of government for six years and their only accomplishments have been starting a war based on lies and wracking up a huge deficit. the repubs are about to become the direction-less party of losers that they were during the first two years of the clinton administration.
I don't know *what* you are basing that on - it seems pretty common for the other side to put pressure on the apparent loser to concede. Isn't that what happened in '04?
What am I basing that on? I don't know, maybe, thousands of elections where this is what normally happens?
George Allen is a crud, and if he has to be browbeaten out of office, I'm happy the Dems are obliging.
It seems to be what he wants.
Next time around the REPS wont have JEB BUSH working overtime to discount over 37,000 votes from DEM districts in Florida again.