TWO MORE HOUSE SEATS DECIDED-- JOE COURTNEY WINS AND DARCY BURNER WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 2008 TO CLAIM HER SEAT

Recounts are proceeding furiously in several states. I was contacted by both the DCCC and the DNC today about their hopes. The DNC pointed out 6 races in which they felt there was a good chance for Democratic victories: OH-02 (Victoria!), OH-15, CT-02, NC-08, FL-13 and NM-01. The DCCC, of course, was primarily concerned about Rahm's Republican-lite shill candidate, Christine Jennings (most likely a victim of election fraud; karma). For Darcy Burner fans this sounded ominous and-- sure enough-- Darcy has conceded. She did a spectacular job and came so close.

This evening the race in Connecticut came to an end when the final recount showed Joe Courtney had beaten rubber stamp Republican Rob Simmons by 91 votes. Next time someone tells you that their vote doesn't matter...

Less than 500 votes separate Larry Kissell and Robin Hayes in NC-08. There's a hand count of provisional ballots. Ohio's Secretary of State is showing a 2,800 vote advantage to Mean Jean Schmidt over Victoria Wulsin in OH-02. Approximately 8,600 provisional ballots are still uncounted and most of those are probably Democratic voters. In a press release today, the Wulsin campaign explained that "Provisional ballots were issued to many voters on election day in place of regular ballots, often because poll workers were unclear about what forms of identification were permissible under Ohio's new voter ID laws. In Hamilton County, some of the highest numbers of provisional ballots were issued in precincts where Paul Hackett won over 70 percent of the vote in last year's special election." In the 15th CD, where Deborah Pryce is ahead by 3,500 votes, over 18,000 uncounted provisionals and absentees remain to be counted.

In New Mexico rubber stamp incumbent Heather Wilson is ahead by around 1,500 votes but neither provisional nor absentee ballots have been counted yet. The last SUSA poll (released on the day of the election showed Madrid a full 2 points ahead of Wilson). Wilson's lead has been steadily shrinking as more votes are counted.

As usual, the Banana Republic of Florida is a complete mess and the 13th CD will either end in court or even a re-vote. Currently Buchanan leads Jennings by 373 votes but there is an 18,000 vote undercount.


UPDATE: DON'T GIVE UP ON VIC WULSIN-- SHE'S NOT GIVING UP ON US

Today's Cincinnati Enquirer explains how Mean Jean Schmidt could still be ex-congresswoman Schmidt by next week.