Ballot Watch: Waiting for the results that everyone tells us mean nothing; Update: GOP sweep in Va.; voting machine glitches in NY-23; Obama says he’s not watching; Update: GOP gov wins in NJ/Va; Update: Hoffman concedes
Guess it’ll be an early night for all the Democrat water-carriers in the media who have already filed their preemptive pieces downplaying whatever happens tonight after the polls close and the ballots are counting.
Here’s a bit of the Obama-as-a-factor-but-not-as-much-as-we-want-you-to-think analysis of exit poll results.
Politicker reports on the return of “It’s the economy, stupid:”
Forty-six percent of Virginian voting Tuesday, as Republican Bob McDonnell and Democrat Creigh Deeds faced off for the governor’s mansion, say that the economy and jobs are the most important issue to their vote. One in four indicate that health care reform is their most pressing issue, 14 percent said taxes were upmost on their minds, and 8 percent suggest that transportation woes were most pressing.
“The economy as the number one issue probably bodes well for the Republicans in Virginia,” says CNN Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.
Here’s another Democrat screaming about GOP “extremism” in the NY-23 race.
The Hill shows Hoffman ahead at the finish line:
Jim Geraghty jumps ahead of the pack and calls Virginia for the Republicans:
With the polls in Virginia closing in one minute, the Campaign Spot Decision Desk gets a jump on the competition and declares the winners in the statewide races: Bob McDonnell wins the governor’s race, Bill Bolling wins the lieutenant governor’s race, and Ken Cuccinelli wins the attorney general’s race.
Early turnout indicates that Cuccinelli is the winner of the 2013 governor’s race as well.
In NJ, pollster Pat Caddell blows the whistle on Democrat fraud:
Democratic pollster Patrick Caddell blew the whistle Tuesday on vote fraud in New Jersey’s race for governor, citing “chicanery” in the bitterly contested gubernatorial race between incumbent Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine and Republican Chris Christie.
“I’m convinced Christie has the votes,” Caddell told Fox News host Neil Cavuto. “The question is whether he has a lead that’s steal proof, as I call it, with all the things going on.”
“That’s rather damning,” Cavuto replied.
“Well,” Caddell replied, “you’ve got to be damning when you see what’s going on. You know, I attacked Republicans when they were intimidating voters not to vote — the American people have a right to have their votes counted right, and not played with.”
Caddell, who has conducted polling for the likes of former President Jimmy Carter, then-Sen. Joe Biden, and former California Gov. Jerry Brown, pointed to unusual absentee-ballot voting patterns in some areas of the state.
Stay tuned.
***
Here are the live-updated Va. governor’s race election results from the Virginia Board of Electionsv.
GOP candidate McDonnell wins in Va.
With 80 percent of precincts reporting:
Robert F. “Bob” McDonnell 910,309 60.50%
R. Creigh Deeds 592,662 39.39%
Write In 1,442 0.09%
GOP sweeps other top Va posts: Wins for Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Republican Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli.
***
NY-23 election results will be live-updated here.
Watertown Daily News reports that four St. Lawrence towns suffered machine glitches that may delay vote tallying until tomorrow.
In NJ, GOP candidate Christie is crushing among independents.
***
Update: 8:53pm Eastern. Via Lorie Byrd, Obama claims he’s not watching the election results. He’s watching basketball instead:
President Obama is not planning to watch Tuesday nights election returns, Obama aides Robert Gibbs and David Axelrod tell CNN.
Obama is more likely to watch Tuesday night’s Chicago Bulls game than any political coverage, according to Axelrod.
The president’s senior staff have also decided not to hold a watch party to keep an eye on election returns as they come in.
Well, of course, since the results Don’t Mean Anything, there’s no need to watch!
Perfect symbolism: The American people speak across the country on Election Day. Obama switches channel from elections to…basketball. Deliberately not paying attention — just like he did with Tea Party protests.
***
10:11pm Eastern – AP has called NJ for GOP candidate Christie, but not seeing anyone else calling it yet. Meanwhile, Hoffman is trailing Owens with about 20 percent of precincts reporting.
NBC, Fox all call for Christie.
10:41pm Eastern. Latest on NY-23:
Owens 49%
Hoffman 46%
Scozzafava 5%
11:20pm Eastern. Voting machine problems create court order in Fulton County NY:
NewsChannel 9 has learned voting machines in Fulton County, which is a part of the 23rd Congressional District, have been impounded, after the machines were not working property today, the Fulton County Board of Elections confirms.
The county was forced to switch over to paper ballots.
They were not planning on counting any votes Tuesday night. We’re told by the Board of Elections, the paper ballots cannot be touched until the absentee ballots are opened a week from Tuesday.
The Board of Elections says they do not know how many people voted, but there are 22 districts in Fulton County.
It’s a squeaker with Hoffman “closing in:”
The Plattsburgh attorney has 57,050 votes compared to Conservative Doug Hoffman, a Lake Placid CPA, with 54,538 votes.
Dede Scozzafava, a Republican who dropped out of the race Saturday, has 6,982 votes.
There are more than 10,000 absentee votes to still be counted.
Owens now leads in Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton and Essex counties.
Hoffman leads in Lewis, Oswego, Oneida, Fulton, Hamilton and Madison counties.
Owens is maintaining a 48 percent to 46 percent lead.
Four precincts in St. Lawrence County are having mechanical problems and total results for the county won’t be available tonight.
***
12:23am Eastern. Hoffman concedes. Stand by for more post-race analysis.
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Oh well. If there was going to be one lost, that one is the least damaging for the country, but worst for conservatives. The big problem is that the Newts of the world are going to be spending the next year saying “I told you so”, and we’ll be stuck with another bunch of RINO candidates next year.
emjem24,
Do the math. Hoffman would have to take more than 60% of all remaining uncounted votes to win at this point. He has 45.5% of all the other votes so far. Nothing fishy about math. It may be cruel but it isn’t fishy.
Dede Scozzafava Should be tarred an feathered and run out of town on a rail. No, I am not kidding. Years ago that is exactly what would have happened and deservedly so. She deliberately sabotaged her own party. She should be shamed in every sense of the word. She is Catholic….Excommunicate her! Get the voodoo dolls out.
OK…now let’s send some people into the Democratic party to pretend they are Dems for a few years and sabotage them!Infiltrate THEM for a change! They are truly pond scum!
Hoffman didn’t lose by much. It is still enough to make the message to the NRCC stick. He did well for someone who came out of nowhere and then had to endure the Republican telling her supporters to vote for the Democrat.
Apparently 5% of that district didn’t get the news that Dede Scozzafava WAS NO LONGER ON THE BALLOT!
The man’s a CPA, so he knows the numbers.
OK, now I can go nitey-nite…..
It is safe to say that every side will claim victory in NY-23. It is probably safe to say that the RNC and RNCC will draw exactly the wrong conclusions from this race and their self-destructive and idiotic behavior.
As the Pequod sinks it’s flag pulls a seagul into the sea….
Bob –
Don’t go after the wolf, go after the ones who put her in the fence.
I don’t blame her at all. Great idea, if you think about it, no choice but a democrat in office. The RNC looks like a bunch of morons right now. Who knows, at the rate their going, maybe the RNC will choose Al Gore to run for president, I hear he’s pretty moderate.
I didn’t say we should stop with her….
Yes, I’m following the math. And it doesn’t look pretty for Hoffman. However, there were machines that broke down and ballots that still need to be counted. It may not work in Hoffman’s favor but this is still a close race and I would rather they do everything to ensure a “fair” vote then an expedited victory for Owens.
All in all, this just stinks. New York has changed A LOT. Chaps can keep saying that this district is hands down Republican but given that 5% voted for Scozzafava, it only confirms that people are either too stupid to get a clue or too petty to want HONEST leadership. How many people think they’re going to get HONEST leadership from Owens?
Obviously enough believe that Washington is NOW the answer to their problems that a handout is better than being your own person. New York has CHANGED. Not just DOWNSTATE but UPSTATE as well. The culture has changed. I saw it before I left.
If people can leave the Upstate region to settle somewhere else, THEY WILL. They are leaving in droves. They see the handwriting on the wall. So who does that leave? A few of the traditional holdouts and more of the gimme gimme types who only understand one thing: OPM. That’s the only thing keeping the dairy/farming industry alive.
It’s sad for New York. The upside is that Owens only has a year and then he’ll have to defend this seat and we’ll see if Scozzafava supporters (and that includes the Republican establishment) regret their role in this mess. Perhaps, 2010 will mean a rematch if Hoffman is up for it. I think he is. Perhaps, Maroun will put his hat in the ring. Who knows?
NY 23 gave me hope, a slight hope, that conservatives could temporarily prevent New York’s Californiaesque slide off the cliff. Perhaps, when these people have to keep on paying steep taxes and continue to vote in big (D) and big (R) phonies who don’t care about them maybe then they’ll wake up.
Imagine what Hoffman could have done with the RNCC’s $900,000.
Stupid bastards. I won’t ever forget this.
I hear ya, emjem24. We will prevail. In a year he is OUT. No more money for RINOS! Let’s give direct ot the candidate of OUR choice! And let’s all register in district 23….ooops…how ACORN of me. (brought my dog to the polling center today and told them ACORN registered him…they weren’t amused)
Sorry to see Mr. Hoffman lost. But I HOPE his run sent chills down the spin (as opposed to a thrill up the leg) of the Get Along-Go Along brass hats. Better to run an honest candidate and lose than run a RINO and lose anyway.The campaign did force out a Leftist, showed the “leadership” that calling such a leftist a moderate will not work, not this year, not next.
Now if we actually have an election, an honest election, in 2010 is to be seen; I still fear a Reichstag Incident which the Leftist will use to suspend or amend the election. The Obaminites would call it an insurrection, suspend Civil Liberties-ala Woodrow Wilson-and declare an emergency. But tonight’s news is mostly good and for that I am grateful.
spoil sports aren’t they?
I just sent the following to Newt:
Dear former speaker, you and some of your GOP power players completely screwed this opportunity. Please, either get back to your conservative roots and STOP pandering to the left or just bow out gracefully. You have done great things for our country in the past but you seem extremely out of touch with conservatives of today. We are looking for leaders who will stay focused and NOT bargain our values. Best regards,
Probably falling on deaf ears but…..
If nothing else NY23 showed the GOP we will not settle for RHINOS and also the duplicity of same with Scuzzy’s behavior.
Can you hear us NOW?
I second this. I’m pissed and I won’t ever forget these idiots who put up this vile woman and how they screwed up this race. This is why primaries matter. And the 5% who voted for Scozzafava…. what the hell were they thinking?
This is yet more confirmation why I left the Republican party. I can’t stand crap like this. The only reason Owens will likely win this seat is a) gimme gimme promises, and the b) mishandling of this race by the GOP.
I will never forget this. The kind of crap that goes on in this state is why I’ll never go back. Plus, as txvet has pointed out, NY might try to go after “back taxes” from my military husband, even though he hasn’t lived (or worked) in the state for years (17 to be precise). If NY can get blood out of a stone, they’ll try and they’ll make you more miserable for the experience.
No thanks. NY-23, you’re stuck with Owens. We’ll see how much Washington and the Dems give you in return.
Anyone still think it’s worth it to try to take over the Republican Party?
Phht.
If nothing else, this election has showed us the true value of the Republican Party to the conservative cause. Had the Republicans supported Hoffman, this race may have gone his way. They cared so much, they just threw the election to the Donk, who was more conservative than their candidate.
Of course, the Republicans will continue down the wrong path (leading right up Obama’s a$$), Cosntitution be damned.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Hehehe… too funny.
Seriously, and I mean this in all seriousness, how can you live in New York? It’s morphed into something I no longer recognize. All it does is steal more and more…. and more of your money through taxes. I especially don’t get the attraction for NYCers either.
RINOs have been the BFFs of Dems for far too long. How has being accommodating and “understanding” helped improve this state? How does working “together” mean compromising every principle?
I’m a NYS absentee voter but this is just ridiculous. The NY GOP is the kind of loyal opposition party I can do without. If I’d brought my pug to vote, it would have attracted a mess of people (kids love him) and that would make for quite a scene.
Love your ACORN annecdote. A little bit of voting day humor goes a long way through getting in and out of the voting booth. As far as the NY GOP is concerned….uggghhhh…. what I’d say would get me banned.
I laid down after a day of heavy yardwork and woke up in time to catch the good news, though NY23 is still up in the air. Channel surfing I see that FOX has Christie is giving his speech. Meanwhile, at MSDNC, Kieth Olberjerk is talking about the healthcare bill and anything else he can as if there were no elections today at all. LOL. Aside from FOX the effort to mimimize todays victory has begun in earnest. Not a perfect evening, but overall a pretty good wake up.
I think it’s going to take a LOT more to wake up the Stupid Party, the Evil Party, and this country. However, tonight’s elections were a good start.
It would also help if the likes of Newt, Romney, etc., would cut the crap and either help to rebuild the party with the right candidates who have not only honesty and integrity, but actual LEADERSHIP qualities. All I’m seeing is half-hearted attempts to quell the conservative “rebellion” and co-opting of the tea party and their message.
Until the Republican Party realizes that there are many of us fed up and unwilling to “play along” any longer, they’ll never win or see an inroads into taking back Washington. If they don’t start getting a clue, they will be handed their a$$es.
They have 5-6 retiring senators who be will replaced with somebody. How ’bout consulting voters, as well as actually feeling out good candidates? You know, the work they didn’t do in the NY-23 race.
I looked at the Virginia Legislature Races, and ont one Democrat, when opposed by a Republican won. Not. One. Democrat. Facing. A. Republican. WON! They all lost! There were a couple of Democrat victories, but they were over a libertarian and two write-ins.
Great race, Mr. Hoffman! I hope you will try again in the next NY-23 election (would that be next year?).
By the way, where’s chapoutier? Why no comments here? Hmmmm…..
Obama is a liar. He watches all this stuff because his ego is too big not to watch it. Corzine is Obama. Obama is Corzine. New Jersey just told both to shove it. Unfortunately for Obama Corzine is white and the race card cannot be played.
Well, I hope the beltway GOP members get the message. They have been wasting our money for decades but now the party is over. No more conservative money to RINOs. Never again will I contribute to organizations like NRCC. NEVER.
But I will be sending more money to Mr. Hoffman if he chooses to run next year. Sarah Palin and Pat Toomey are on my list as well.
You commute from NJ to MIT in order to work your janitor type job?
Well, there’s obviously more to that story.
BTW, I think you should forward me the audio of that radio show caller that sounded like you.
congratulations to common sense conservative americans who voted every where. this is why communism will never succeed; people vote their personal pocketbook when times get tough. we want gubmint to work, not make excuses and demand more money. we want our children taught, not indoctrinate, and we want to choose our religious beliefs, not have them dictated to us by either religious zealots or communist atheists through the court.
corkie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r_gWY-rCuE
You are asking why I was not commenting at 4 in the morning?
Or did you miss my other posts?
Anyway…Republicans/conservatives should feel good about VA. Looks like, along with sweeping the statewides by huge margins, Republicans picked up 6 in the House of Delegates. NJ too, though they appear to have a bit of an anti-incumbent trend there. I was fabulously wrong about NY-23. But still don’t think it has much significance beyond taking a bit of the wind out of the right’s sails. It is a Republican district, but it is also a very insular one. I think perhaps there was more resentment among the voters to the attention Hoffman was getting from outsiders. Not that THIS was the deciding factor, but Hoffman should have probably skipped his fawning interview with Beck. In any case, NY 23 will be redistricted out of existence after the census.
I was really disappointed with the gay marriage initiate in ME. I would gladly trade NY 23 for that one.
chap:
The gay marriage debate is here:
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/11/04/maine-votes-down-gay-marriage/#comments
No deal.
Doug Hoffman should not concede.
He should request a recount.
Democrats/Leftists/Liberals have cheated on elections consecutively for years now, and they have stolen elections repeatedly.
Recount!
Find the deceit and corruption in Democrat votes.
They are there to find.
Hoffman probably won that election by a few hundred, to a few thousand votes.
I KNOW that the Democrats would demand a recount had THEY Lost, a la Al Franken and others!