The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
U.S. Rep. Thelma Drake on Wednes day refused to concede victory to challenger Glenn Nye and said through a spokesman that she is waiting for the results of absentee ballots to be added to vote totals.
Nearly 27,000 absentee ballots in Virginia Beach need to be included in the final tally, said Anne Rinehart, the city's chief of absentee ballots. The counting was suspended Wednes day afternoon and will resume this morning.
Norfolk also still needs to count its absentee ballots. That number was not available Wednesday.
Nye, a Democrat, currently has 123,707 votes to Drake's 115,791 votes, a difference of 7,916.
"She'd have to win a huge number of those votes," said Nye, who is making his first run for public office. "I don't see any scenario where that plays out."
Nye has declared victory, and The Associated Press and CNN have called the race in his favor. He has 51.6 percent of the recorded vote to Drake's 48.3 percent.
Nye won in Norfolk - 56 to 44 percent - and leads Drake in Virginia Beach 50.52 percent to 49.35.
Around 2 p.m., Drake made statements to TV news crews in a conference room at her Virginia Beach district office. She refused to talk to The Virginian-Pilot and through a spokesman wouldn't let a reporter listen to the TV interviews.
"Nothing has changed from last night," said Corry Bliss, Drake campaign manager. "They still have a lot of absentee ballots out there."
Nye said he has not heard from Drake.
"I'll be happy to talk to her whenever she's ready," he said.
If his victory is confirmed, Nye, a former Foreign Service officer, will go to Washington as part of his party's growing majority in the House and Senate.
In Drake, Nye challenged a feisty campaigner who through a career in real estate and 13 years in elected office has built a devoted army of loyal supporters.
Nye's apparent victory bolsters the theory popular among political experts that if turnout was strong, Nye would get a big ride on the coattails of prominent Democrats Sen. Barack Obama and former Gov. Mark Warner, who was elected to the U.S. Senate.
An infusion of money from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, used mostly for TV ads against Drake, likely propelled Nye down the stretch.
He initially built his campaign around developing an exit strategy for the war in Iraq, where he spent most of 2007 working for the U.S. State Department. He sought to appeal to the district's high population of military voters by stressing his civilian service abroad in places including Afghanistan, Kosovo and Macedonia.
As conditions in Iraq stabilized and gas prices skyrocketed, Nye came out in support of offshore drilling and later attacked Drake over her first vote against the GI Bill.
Nye also called for bipartisan cooperation in Washington, evoking often the reputation of Warner.
Reporter Shawn Day contributed to this report.
Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122. aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
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" marks57720 on Thu, 11/06/2008 at 12:43 pm.
Already Nye is showing his true colors...oh, and when will he answer that question? YES or NO"
Care to explain that comment?
A response to the constitutionality of the bailout
I'm by no means a Constitutional nerd, but that I know of, the Constitution includes a catch phrase to the effect of 'Necessary and Proper Clause' which means that the president, and perhaps the Congress, can effectuate policies and other actions that aren't specifically delegated powers in the Constitution. That I"m aware, this provision hasn't been struck down by neither the Supreme Court nor the States via ratification of the Constitution. Having said that (and not that I agree...), if the president feels the government should bail out the turds on Wall Street for the greater good of the US, that particular clause can make it happen. Few presidents have invoked this clause. Madison made good use of it to purchase the Louisiana Territory from France prior to the War of 1812, during France's Napoleonic Revolution. I don't think it would advertised as such in the news, but it's an option available to the powers that be. You're welcome to conduct your own research, but this is what mine has yielded. As for the vote recount - I'm not in the 2nd Dist. but I say count them. After all, they did take the time to cast their votes, so why insult them by setting them aside? If Drak
One more time
To ring 442 - it's lose not loose.
To td84719 - there are plenty of other ways Bush and cronies stopped progress. Also refer to excellent posting by rhkennerly which is 9 postings below yours.
How anyone can still uphold Bush after what he's done to our beloved country is beyond me. Because of him it will take, at the minimum, a generation to get partially straight. God Bless America!
It's amazing -
To think that there are so many jaundiced, ignorant, insecure folks, (such as the previous posters), are walking amongst us. I now understand with a little more clarity why we need so many lawyers and jail cells. These posters are vicious and dangerous. Talk about road rage, gee this is post a comment rage, i was going to say postal, but that's too nice a term.
Time for some real updates
Virginia needs to provide voting machines that provide receipts and other checks and balances so recounts can be done. Less restrictive early voting should be allowed and it is time for country-wide uniform absentee ballots. A uniform ballot would make it easier for military voters to know for sure their ballots are complete.
count 'em
I don't like Nye, but I know he's a patriotic American who has served his country well. As a patriot he knows the importance here. He may not see a way she can win, and her chances may be slim, but every vote deserves to be counted. Who wants to be the one to tell our deployed men and women "We didn't count your ballot because we thought it was close enough." Our troops don't deserve to have their votes trivialized, and Nye knows it.
As for the conspiracy theorists that think Karl Rove is lurking in the wings with some ACORN-produced ballots, all I can suggest is that you up your meds.
Every vote counts. Count every vote.
won't concede
Drake the Snake finally got caught! All votes should be counted and then send her packing.
True Colors
Already Nye is showing his true colors...oh, and when will he answer that question? YES or NO...
How sad...
I'm sorry but once you've lost, you've lost. Don't try to rely on the miltary votes to come help and save you.... Because no offense they probably want you gone too. If everyone else wants Drake gone, I highly doubt they will be diffrent. Just go ahead and admit it, move on, and maybe if you want to (which I pray you don't) you an run again...but until then: let it go.
Just wondering....
Which one of you if you were only 8000 votes away and there were 26,00 uncounted votes would concede a race. I would bet none but then liberals do not follow the same rules they think every one else should. Shame on you...let all the votes be counted. That is the American way or do you just feel the ends justify the means.
I cannot help but wonder if you were as supportive of ensuring all votes were counted during the 2000 Florida irregularities?