Did FL-13 Impact the 2006 Midterm Election Results?

[Ivan Seeking]

What exactly are these armies of lawyers supposed to be doing?

Dig out votes, oversee recounts, whine for the cameras and spend money.

Congratulations to the first Madam Speaker! Another historic first.

I hope that I don't hate her.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

By ~15600 votes with 81% of precincts reporting. Still tight.

The uncounted precincts swing democratic.

 

[Gokul43201]

By ~15600 votes with 81% of precincts reporting. Still tight.

I've done some math - I believe McCaskill is going to pick up an additional 30-odd-thousand votes. Lots of votes left to count in Jackson and St. Louis - both Dem strongholds.

 

[Gokul43201]

HALLELUJAH!

It's now official.

Dems currently have 219 seats in the House.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

So how many seats are the dems likely to pick up in the house?

 

[moose]

Did you see how close the Florida 13 was?
119,060:118,696
364 difference
crazy

 

[Gokul43201]

The final count on Governorships will likely read 28 D, 22 R.

 

[Astronuc]

Still a tight Senate race in Montana with Tester only 12,000 votes ahead of Burns with 55% of precincts reporting.

 

[moose]

Dems may get
Connecticut 02(it's nearly a tie right now)
Colorado 07 (only 20% precincts, but looks like dem will get it)
California 11 is up for grabs, most likely democrat
Georgia 12 looks like dem
What the hell is up with Louisiana 12? Most likely Dem (jefferson) though
Nevada 03 maybe dem, maybe GOP
New Mexico 01 really close both ways
Pennsylvania 06 most likely dem but it can potentially go either way
Pennsylvania 08 looks like dem got it
Texas 22 dem got it...
Wyoming 01 close, but most likely GOP
Soooo, hmm

 

[Gokul43201]

So how many seats are the dems likely to pick up in the house?

My guess is they'll end up with 230 (+/- 3 seats) - that will be a gain of 35 seats (they've already got 24 and there's about 35 close races yet to be called)!

 

[Astronuc]

Did you see how close the Florida 13 was?
119,060:118,696
364 difference
crazy

Crazier - Foley got 48% of the vote in his district, Florida 16.

 

[moose]

So Missouri is close
Montana is close
and Virginia is insanely close
...exciting

 

[moose]

Astronuc, didnt the vote for Foley actually go for that other guy, because Foley is in rehab or whatever?

Yeahhh, Gokul got it, Joe Negron

 

[Gokul43201]

Crazier - Foley got 48% of the vote in his district, Florida 16.

The "foley" votes are cast for his replacement, Joe Negron.

 

[Astronuc]

Ah, I vaguely remember hearing something about that, but I haven't paid close attention to it.

It will interesting to see who heads up the Science and Transportation & Infrastructure committees in the House, and likewise in the Senate.

 

[moose]

Looking at Arizona propositions, looks like:
English will be official language (YAY)
$1 million reward for voting, lottery type thing, VOTED DOWN! (YAY, stupidest prop ever)
Raise minimum wage: passed through (I guess I will be earning more once this goes into effect)
Ban Same-Sex marriage (as in, to have it in the Arizona constitution), so far looks like voted down... heh, oh well :/ I was hoping for it to go through

Im just curious how the smoking ban ones are doing.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Holy crap! They might really take the Senate! Webb all but announced.

 

[Astronuc]

McCaskill (D) is now up by ~25000 votes with 85% of precincts reporting.

Missouri Amendment 2: Allow Stem Cell Research is ahead by ~15000 votes YES

============

I wonder how the Financial Markets will react later today?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

And is McCaskill announcing now...?

YES!

 

[Gokul43201]

Ban Same-Sex marriage (as in, to have it in the Arizona constitution), so far looks like voted down...

I think AZ will be the only state that hasn't voted in support of the ban! I applaud the Arizonans on not being a bunch of imbeciles!

Arizona | Proposition 107: Ban Same-Sex Marriage
Proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution would define marriage as a union solely between a man and a woman; would prohibit the state from creating or recognizing any legal status for unmarried persons that is similar to that of marriage.

The MO Stem Cell prop looks like it might go through after starting off quite poorly.

Missouri | Amendment 2: Allow Stem Cell Research
Proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution known as the "Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative" would protect embryonic stem cell research. It would specifically legalize all stem cell research and therapies consistent with federal law. It would ban human cloning.

Evo, Manchot - don't lose heart just yet!

 

[moose]

And is McCaskill announcing now...?

YES!

It'd be humorous if she turned out to be wrong

Boy would that be embarrassing.

 

[Astronuc]

Democrats seize control of House
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6127216.stm

What the Brits say.

The Democrats are also projected to have won three of six target Senate seats - but several key races remain too close to call.

Polls have now closed across the US, with high turnout reported.

. . . .
The BBC's Jamie Coomarasamy in Washington says the results in these mid-term elections have changed the political landscape in the US.

The last two years of the Bush presidency will be very different to what has gone before, he says.

Ms Pelosi - who stands to become the first female House speaker - said the Democrats would "restore integrity and honesty" to Washington and lead the "most ethical Congress in history".

Remember these words!

"Today the American people voted for change and they voted for Democrats to take our country in a new direction - and that is exactly what we intend to do," she said.

Well let's not get carried away. Afterall, we still have a choice of two major parties, and that's not much of a choice IMO. I would prefer something more than chocolate or vanilla, and not necessarily strawberry.


First Muslim congressman elected
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6127234.stm

Keith Ellison, a Democrat, has become the first Muslim to be elected to the US Congress by winning a Minnesota seat in the House of Representatives. He overcame personal attacks emphasising his past association with Louis Farrakhan, leader of the radical Nation of Islam group.

The 43-year-old lawyer sought to downplay his religion and ran on a populist platform.

He has called for the immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

On the campaign trail, he also urged a greater reliance on renewable fuels and the establishment of a government-funded universal healthcare system.

 

[moose]

CNN called Missouri Senate to McCaskill

 

[Gokul43201]

1. Webb has won (my prediction).

There are only about 9000 (regular) votes left to count in VA, and they are from 3 counties, all of which are voting D so far. Allen will need to win about 7500 of these to overcome Webb's current 6000 vote lead.

I've got no numbers on provisional ballots.

 

[moose]

Republican Sen. Jim Talent of Missouri concedes defeat to Democrat Claire McCaskill.

yup .

 

[Astronuc]

McCaskill (D) 912,815
Talent (R) 876,078 (Incumbent)

89% of precincts reporting

McCaskill's lead widened to ~36,000 votes.

Still tight in Montana

Tester (D) 127,342
Burns (R) 116,751 (incumbent)

65% of precincts reporting

 

[moose]

Arizona is split almost 50/50 on the gay marriage thing. It looks like it will not be voted through, barely. This may be because the governor is a lesbian and she says that the proposition is pointless because gay marriage is already illegal in Arizona (which, btw, she agrees with). She seems to be quite popular around here...

 

[Gokul43201]

CNN called Missouri Senate to McCaskill

Too slow.

2. McCaskill has easily won.
Her lead is presently 36,000 votes with 200,000 yet to be counted (in mostly Dem strong counties). I predict she ends up with at least a 55,000 vote margin.

 

[moose]

Looks like Webb will/did get it in Virginia
Webb.....Allen
1,167,694...1,155,950

 

[Astronuc]

So then it is up to Montana?

50 D, 49 R and 1 I in the Senate?


Corker sounds interesting - According to CNN's bio,"He founded the non-profit Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprises that helps families obtain low-interest loans."