by Frank James
Senate Democrats now have 57 members in their caucus, including two independents, and are awaiting the outcome of three additional races in Alaska, Minnesota and Georgia.
Getting those three additional seats would allow them to get up to the magical 60 number which would allow them to steamroller controversial legislation over Republican objections so long as all 60 held together or some Republicans sided with Democrats.
The Alaska Senate race is now looking more promising for the Democrats as Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich has taken the lead over federal convict Sen. Ted Stevens in the counting of the remaining ballots.
As the Anchorage Daily News reports:
Mark Begich made a dramatic comeback Wednesday to overtake 40-year incumbent Ted Stevens for the lead in Alaska's U.S. Senate race.
Begich, who was losing after election night, now leads Stevens by 814 votes -- 132,196 to 131,382 -- with the state still to count roughly 40,000 more ballots over the next week.
The state Division of Elections tallied about 60,000 absentee, early and questioned ballots from around the state on Wednesday. The ballots broke heavily in the Democrat's favor, erasing the 3,000-vote lead the Republican Stevens held after election night Nov. 4.
Stevens is trying to become the first person ever elected to the U.S. Senate after a being found guilty of felony crimes. A Washington, D.C., jury found him guilty a week before the election of lying about gifts on his financial disclosure forms.
The state still needs to count at least 15,000 questioned ballots and an estimated 25,000 absentees. With all the absentee votes coming in, this will be one of the biggest turnouts, if not the biggest in terms of ballots cast, the state has ever seen. That's despite questions in the media and on blogs about why turnout appeared low on Election Day.
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Comments
Heh just 're-count/run' again and again all these 'pristine votes' in ALASKA, in MINNESOTA, even in GEORGIA - heck why not in any state/municipality/city/town/village/or even just a hamlet where the 'good' DEMBHOLE was thought to havbe lost??? COUNT THE 'VOTES' UNTIL YOU GET IT CORRECT 'THE DEMBHOLE WAY'!!! Ha.
Posted by: Zyskandar A. Jaimot | November 13, 2008 12:18 PM
Zyskandar -- if you paid attention, you would know that this isn't a recount in Alaska. They STILL haven't finished counting the votes from last week or the absentee ballots. For whatever reason, Alaska takes their own sweet time doing things. You betcha, it's the Alaskan way, dontcha know?
Posted by: Milw-Town | November 13, 2008 1:41 PM
Did not no Stevens was a convict already from the above statement-
Posted by: Inky | November 13, 2008 2:46 PM
Leave it to the republicans to vote for a convicted felon. Corruption, lies and incompetence must be the main qualifications to join the republican party. Just promise big tax cuts to the rich and all these walmart hillbillies line up with their pen in their hand every time..
Posted by: Chicago | November 13, 2008 6:21 PM
Walmart hillbillies!! LOL
Sure is sad that these people exist. Thankfully they are in the minority.
Posted by: dwarfgoper | November 14, 2008 12:06 AM
This is good news! It means Palin has less opportunity to get in the news, like appointing Stevens replacement, running for Senate, getting Alaska attention. I was born in Alaska a long time ago, but would not go back because of the large numbers of ignorant transplants up there.
Posted by: Rich | November 14, 2008 1:57 PM