OLD American Century / White Rose Society message boards

BinaBecker

Wednesday, 24 November 2004, 9:03 pm

http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2004/11/24/...wash/index.html

QUOTE

Republican Dino Rossi came out ahead of Democrat Christine Gregoire by just 42 votes Wednesday in the recount for Washington governor, and the Democrats are expected to demand yet another recount.

The contest was the nation's last undecided race for governor.

The machine recount of 2.8 million ballots left Rossi just 42 votes ahead of Gregoire, the state attorney general. That makes it the closest governor's race in Washington history.

Rossi had also won the original tally, but his 261-vote margin was so small it triggered an automatic recount.

The Republicans called on Gregoire to concede and not drag the state through a third count that could stretch until Christmas week or longer. But even before the last big surge of ballots was tallied, Democrats had signaled they would seek a hand recount in at least part of the state.

Rossi, 45, a real estate millionaire and former state Senate budget chairman from the Seattle suburb of Sammamish, was hoping to become the first Republican since 1980 to get elected governor. He ran on a platform of change and job-creation.

Gregoire, 57, was hoping to become the state's second woman governor. She carried eight of the 39 counties, most notably the largest, King, which includes heavily Democratic Seattle. Gregoire was strongly backed by the women's movement and was best known for battling America's tobacco industry.

Well, looky here. Once again, Repugs are trying to stop a hand recount and force a concession in a closely contested state! How typical.

'Bina.

BinaBecker

Saturday, 4 December 2004, 9:52 pm

Update: A second recount, BY HAND, is to take place in Washington.

Why are the Dems not this keen to win Ohio?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/loca...6_webgov03.html

QUOTE

Democrats today delivered a $730,000 check to the Secretary of State's office, pushing Washington into an unprecedented statewide hand recount of nearly 3 million ballots in the governor's race.

The party also filed suit in the state Supreme Court, seeking a ruling that would allow reconsidering ballots that had been rejected earlier. Republicans charge the move threatens to tie up the election in court, calling the lawsuit "a nuclear bomb." Democrats yesterday said they've raised $800,000 so far for the recount, which they expect to cost more than $1 million.

"I've never stopped believing Chris Gregoire was elected governor," Democratic Party Chairman Paul Berendt said today at a news conference. "It would be easy to demand a recount in a few counties, but she wanted every vote or no vote, and that's what we're going to do."

Republican Dino Rossi, a real-estate agent and former state senator, won the first count of the Nov. 2 election by 261 votes. A mandatory statewide machine recount tightened his lead to 42 votes. Rossi declared victory Tuesday after being certified as governor-elect.

However, Gregoire, a three-term state attorney general, has maintained the race was too close for her to concede. Her campaign and the Democratic party said a second recount, this one by hand, was needed to determine the winner.

State law allows for candidates and the political parties to ask for a second recount, but they have to pick up the tab. If the recount overturns the election, they get their money back.

Secretary of State Sam Reed is expected to issue a recount order on Monday. The actual counting has to start by Thursday, and election officials hope to have the last ballots counted by Dec. 23.

Rossi's campaign accused the Democrats of trying to steal the election. "As far as we're concerned, it's trying to overturn the legitimate result of this election by any means necessary, ethical or not," Rossi spokeswoman Mary Lane said. "Christine Gregoire cares more about her own political ambition than what the voters actually think."

They sharply attacked the lawsuit filed by Democrats.

Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance called the lawsuit "a nuclear bomb. It will blow up our election system in Washington state."

--MORE--

By making it HONEST? Gee, what a horrible prospect!

'Bina.

happymisanthropy

Monday, 6 December 2004, 2:42 am

The rethugs have a lot of awfully reasonable reasons why Gregoire should concede.

What they don't say

(not that I would believe them if they did)

is that Rossi should concede if the situation were reversed.

Dr. Left

Monday, 6 December 2004, 1:13 pm

QUOTE (BinaBecker @ Saturday, 4 December 2004, 7:52 pm)

Update: A second recount, BY HAND, is to take place in Washington.

Why are the Dems not this keen to win Ohio?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/loca...6_webgov03.html

QUOTE

Democrats today delivered a $730,000 check to the Secretary of State's office, pushing Washington into an unprecedented statewide hand recount of nearly 3 million ballots in the governor's race.

The party also filed suit in the state Supreme Court, seeking a ruling that would allow reconsidering ballots that had been rejected earlier. Republicans charge the move threatens to tie up the election in court, calling the lawsuit "a nuclear bomb." Democrats yesterday said they've raised $800,000 so far for the recount, which they expect to cost more than $1 million.

"I've never stopped believing Chris Gregoire was elected governor," Democratic Party Chairman Paul Berendt said today at a news conference. "It would be easy to demand a recount in a few counties, but she wanted every vote or no vote, and that's what we're going to do."

Republican Dino Rossi, a real-estate agent and former state senator, won the first count of the Nov. 2 election by 261 votes. A mandatory statewide machine recount tightened his lead to 42 votes. Rossi declared victory Tuesday after being certified as governor-elect.

However, Gregoire, a three-term state attorney general, has maintained the race was too close for her to concede. Her campaign and the Democratic party said a second recount, this one by hand, was needed to determine the winner.

State law allows for candidates and the political parties to ask for a second recount, but they have to pick up the tab. If the recount overturns the election, they get their money back.

Secretary of State Sam Reed is expected to issue a recount order on Monday. The actual counting has to start by Thursday, and election officials hope to have the last ballots counted by Dec. 23.

Rossi's campaign accused the Democrats of trying to steal the election. "As far as we're concerned, it's trying to overturn the legitimate result of this election by any means necessary, ethical or not," Rossi spokeswoman Mary Lane said. "Christine Gregoire cares more about her own political ambition than what the voters actually think."

They sharply attacked the lawsuit filed by Democrats.

Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance called the lawsuit "a nuclear bomb. It will blow up our election system in Washington state."

--MORE--

By making it HONEST? Gee, what a horrible prospect!

'Bina.

They don't want honesty, they just want to steal elections....

'doc