Rossi wins in recount of governor’s race
Consider the possibilities, if you will. You’re a Democrat running for Governor in Washington state, a traditionally Democratic stronghold…west of the Cascades, at least. After devoting a year or more of your life to campaigning for the office, over 2.8 million people go to the polls…and you lose by 42 votes. Even Al Gore lost Florida in 2000 by a comparatively whopping 537 votes. Wow….
When the final votes in the race for governor in the state were tallied shortly after noon today, Republican Dino Rossi won the election by just 42 votes over Democratic Attorney General Christine Gregoire.
With a margin that small, a second recount - this one by hand - is almost a sure thing. A hand recount could take two weeks to complete.
“As far as we’re concerned, Dino has won. Dino has won twice,” said a jubilant Rossi spokeswoman Mary Lane. “It remains to be seen what Christine Gregoire will do after losing two counts, whether she wants to go ahead and drag the state through yet another count.”
Gregoire spokesman Chuck Hunter said the Gregoire campaign was amazed that the final tally was a virtual tie. The campaign is weighing its options, including a laborious hand recount, he said.
“We haven’t made a decision yet,” he said. “We’re stunned that it’s a dead heat, going down to the wire.”
I’m not sure how one could reasonably digest and come to grips with losing by such a razor-thin margin, particularly in such a normally Democratic bastion such as Washington state. How can you be certain that there weren’t errors made that could conceivably have cost you the election? Surely, 42 votes out of 2.8 million is well within any reasonable margin of error?
Christine Gregoire has a tough decision to make: continue the fight, ask for another recount and run the risk of alienating voters, or do the statesman-like thing and allow Washington to move forward. It’s a lose-lose situation for her any way you look at it. As much as I would love to see Ms. Gregoire win, it might just be time to ride off into the sunset and recognize the harsh reality of the situation. You can always try again four years down the road, no?
