Ed Gillespie's speaking this morning. The margin for Webb is 7,146 votes with three precincts left to count.
Each electoral board is taking between three and four days to do canvasses to confirm vote tallies for the official results. Counties have until Nov. 14 to finish these. They often turn up mathematical errors. Webb's already lost 1,000-something votes in one precinct.
A canvas also counts provisional ballots. State Board of Elections will certify on Nov. 27.
"We treasure our representative democracy and the laws that protect the integrity of the electoral process, and we look forward to its completion."
Reporter: The DSCC has declared victory. What do you say to the criticism that you're just drawing the process out?
"This process is required by law."
Now, really. Democrats are the last ones who need to be talking about "drawing the process out." They've been drawing out the 2000 election for six years, and the 2004 election for two years, chipping away at the foundations of the democracy in the process by alleging that the elections were "stolen" when they weren't.
In fact, if Democrats pay attention-- and they won't-- they could learn a thing or two about how you're supposed to lose an election. The six-year-long temper tantrum they've thrown has been damaging to the country and to voters' confidence in the system, and I'm glad I can feel secure in the fact that Republicans won't repeat the travesty. We are not the fighting Nutroots, thank God. They believe conceding after your loss is clear is "giving up," a sign of weakness. The only other people who believe that are toddlers, which is why I'm just so pumped to have these guys presiding over the War on Terror.
Virginia, by all accounts, is very good at recounts. There are specific, concrete practices in place, and they've done it recently-- in last year's attorney general race. It will hopefully go smoothly, and if Allen loses, he will go quietly. Of course, if he starts to gain votes, be ready for a replay of the Washington governor's race in 2004. Let's hope clear election laws in Virginia will prevent too much funny business. It behooves all of us for these things to go well, no matter who wins.
So, whatever happened to the Diebold conspiracy theorists? Michelle spotted one of them.