MN-Sen: Coleman’s lead dwindles to 5, so far?

Today’s Electoral-Vote.com write-up says that Coleman’s lead has dwindled to just FIVE votes (out of some 2.9 million cast), with another 379 Coleman challenges to go today.

I don’t know how many more Franken challenges, absentee ballots, or other miscellany there are to go, though.

Also, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v… says that the Lizard People ballot was rejected as an overvote (causing the person who hilariously made this ballot to probably become pissed at the canvassing board), but the Flying Spaghetti Monster and Frankenstin (sic) ballots were accepted as Franken votes.

Also, according to Coleman’s lawyer, “Lizard People” may in fact be the name of a real person.  Hmm, are the dinosaurs coming back???

Finally, it seems that the Minnesota Star-Tribune is seeking the person who marked the now infamous Lizard People ballot.

UPDATE: http://news.google.com/news/ur… says that Franken is up some 262 votes now.  But of course, let’s not forget that there are several thousand challenged ballots and another 1600 rejected absentees yet to be factored in.  Don’t hold your breath, and don’t become complacent either.

Crowdsourcing Pres-by-CD: California Results

I got most of the results for California’s congressional districts right here. Breakdowns by county I have entered into a Google Spreadsheet. I’d greatly appreciate if anybody could find the results for the districts which I couldn’t find any data.

District Obama McCain Others 2008 % 2004 % 2000 % Missing Counties (if any)
CA-01
199,835
96,530
8,264
65.6/31.7
59.7/38.4
51.5/38.7
CA-02
125,291
161,636
7,041
42.6/55.0
36.6/62.0
33.2/60.9
CA-03
165,617
164,025
6,438
49.3/48.8
40.8/58.2
40.9/54.3
CA-04
167,604
206,385
8,368
43.8/54.0
37.4/61.3
35.7/58.8
CA-05
165,776
67,625
4,709
69.6/28.4
61.1/37.9
60.0/34.7
CA-06
253,087
73,345
6,802
76.0/22.0
70.3/28.1
61.9/30.1
CA-07
179,037
66,272
5,450
71.4/26.4
67.1/31.8
65.6/30.3
CA-08
266,210
38,665
7,519
85.2/12.4
84.2/14.0
76.6/14.7
CA-09
260,662
29,186
5,919
88.1/9.9
85.9/12.6
77.8/13.3
CA-10
204,138
104,624
6,972
64.7/33.1
58.5/40.4
54.7/40.9
CA-11
San Joaquin, Santa Clara
CA-12
214,850
69,029
5,213
74.3/23.9
71.5/27.2
66.4/28.4
CA-13
175,838
56,299
4,270
74.4/23.8
70.9/28.0
66.3/29.3
CA-14
Santa Clara
CA-15
Santa Clara
CA-16
Santa Clara
CA-17
171,180
61,163
4,932
72.1/25.8
65.6/33.0
59.6/32.9
CA-18
Fresno, Madera, San Joaquin
CA-19
Fresno, Madera
CA-20
Fresno
CA-21
Fresno
CA-22
110,910
172,792
5,879
38.3/59.7
31.0/67.9
32.1/64.2
CA-23
Ventura
CA-24
Ventura
CA-25
134,222
131,201
6,010
49.5/48.3
39.9/58.8
41.2/54.7
CA-26
149,249
137,329
5,885
51.0/47.0
43.7/55.1
43.3/52.5
CA-27
157,100
75,286
5,219
66.1/31.7
59.3/39.3
59.5/35.8
CA-28
147,958
42,815
3,492
76.2/22.0
71.0/27.9
72.0/23.6
CA-29
159,947
71,860
4,840
67.6/30.4
61.2/37.4
57.2/38.0
CA-30
242,022
95,869
5,710
70.4/27.9
66.1/32.8
67.6/27.6
CA-31
113,941
25,441
3,280
79.9/17.8
76.9/21.6
76.2/18.6
CA-32
119,726
52,356
3,557
68.2/29.8
62.3/36.6
65.8/30.8
CA-33
205,470
27,672
3,539
86.8/11.7
82.8/15.9
82.3/13.4
CA-34
106,695
33,056
3,023
74.7/23.2
68.8/29.8
71.5/25.5
CA-35
165,761
27,789
2,923
84.4/14.1
79.0/20.0
80.7/16.7
CA-36
176,924
92,105
5,754
64.4/33.5
59.0/39.6
56.4/38.2
CA-37
157,219
36,940
3,388
79.6/18.7
73.5/25.2
74.9/21.3
CA-38
130,092
48,599
3,846
71.3/26.6
65.3/33.6
69.3/27.6
CA-39
128,579
63,680
4,117
65.5/32.4
58.5/40.3
61.6/35.1
CA-40
114,025
125,066
5,456
46.6/51.1
38.4/60.2
40.3/55.7
CA-41
119,255
147,982
5,890
43.7/54.2
36.9/61.8
40.3/55.2
CA-42
128,474
152,256
5,529
44.9/53.2
36.9/62.0
38.5/58.3
CA-43
112,020
49,594
3,216
68.0/30.1
58.1/40.7
62.6/33.7
CA-44
133,535
131,003
5,169
49.5/48.6
39.9/59.0
43.5/52.7
CA-45
142,305
129,664
4,251
51.5/46.9
43.1/56.0
46.0/50.5
CA-46
145,393
150,937
6,921
47.9/49.8
41.6/56.9
41.2/54.1
CA-47
77,144
48,461
2,672
60.1/37.8
48.6/50.0
55.6/40.9
CA-48
163,063
160,584
7,091
49.3/48.6
40.4/58.3
39.1/57.2
CA-49
117,283
137,739
4,805
45.1/53.0
36.5/62.5
38.2/57.7
CA-50
172,962
158,845
5,616
51.3/47.1
43.9/55.2
42.0/53.3
CA-51
135,960
76,438
3,021
63.1/35.5
53.4/45.7
56.4/40.2
CA-52
135,848
161,332
4,827
45.0/53.4
37.7/61.4
39.0/56.6
CA-53
177,863
77,930
5,101
68.2/29.9
61.2/37.6
56.9/37.0

PA-Gov, PA-Sen: Statewide Recruitment Thread

A couple of biggies today. In terms of redistricting alone, holding the Pennsylvania Governor’s office is pretty crucial for Democrats. Who would you like to see run for the big office? And who do you expect to see line up for the Reds?

And while we’re on the Keystone State, who would you like to see face off against snarlin’ Arlen in 2010?

HI-Sen: Inouye Leads Lingle by 11 Points

Research 2000 for the Great Orange Satan:

Dan Inouye (D): 53

Linda Lingle (R): 42

(MoE: ±4%)

Make no mistake, in many ways, this poll represents something of a high water mark for Hawaii Republicans. They have literally no one else on their bench who could possibly give Inouye a scare, and even with popular outgoing GOP Governor Linda Lingle on the ballot, Inouye still starts off with a clear lead. Perhaps a strong campaign combined with some “senior moments” by Inouye could make this one a tight race, but does Lingle really have it in her to pull the trigger and run against one of the most popular politicians in Hawaii?

CA-32: Obama Picks Solis for Labor Sec’y

It’s a done deal, apparently. This comes as something of a surprise, since I don’t believe Solis was even mentioned as a contender for this job — the most recent name with traction appeared to be Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro.

And for the special election handwringers, barring some truly bizarre events, there’s nothing to worry about here: this Los Angeles-based district has a PVI of D+17.

2010 Senate Update:

A lot of things went under the radar the last couple days, I felt we needed a round up.  

Starting with the last outstanding race of the 2008 elections, MN-Sen.  After two days of going through the Franken challenges, (with the exception of a few Coleman challenges that were incidentally found in the mix) this is where the counting stands: http://senaterecount.startribu…

Of 411 ballots that have been reviewed so far, Coleman is +234 votes, Franken is +64 votes, and Other is +117.  Franken had a high success rate (around 17% by most estimates) which is higher than predictions have been.  It is hard to say how many of those challenges exactly Franken won, because the other category consists of votes Franken won, taking away from Coleman and votes that Franken lost, not moving toward Franken.  

There are around 4,000 withdrawn challenges that need to be counted and added to the SOS website tally.  Those are said to be reported when they are finished being counted.  There are an estimated 1,600 wrongfully rejected absentee ballots that are hung up in the Minnesota Supreme Court to be ruled on in the near future.  And an estimated 700 Coleman challenges to sort through over the coming days.  (Coleman may bring “duplicate ballots” to court.  They are contending not all the ballots counted during the recount had an original.  This would open a whole can of worms because both campaigns challenged 600 ballots total over this while some counties didn’t let them challenge ballots over this.)

The next race with news, FL-Sen.  Alex Sink is jumping through the hoops of a probable candidate.  Many will remember news reports of Mark Begich and Jeff Merkley doing exactly what sink did before becoming candidates:

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, the only Democrat serving in Florida’s Cabinet, met recently in Washington with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the chamber’s point man for the 2010 election. She’s clearly the national party’s top choice to run for the seat to be vacated by Republican Sen. Mel Martinez.

Article found here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com…

If I had to make a prediction, I would assume Alex Sink waits until we hear what Jeb Bush decides about a senate race in Florida before announcing whether she plans to run for senate.  

Next on the line is KS-Sen.  Brownback is making his retirement from the senate official tomorrow.  Article found here: http://briefingroom.thehill.co…  

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) won’t seek reelection in 2010 and will explore a run for governor.

He plans to announce his retirement from the Senate on Thursday, reports CNN. Brownback joined the Senate in 1996, succeeding former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R). He has long been a supporter of term limits, and he had pledged to serve only two full terms.

As for NH-Sen:

while popular Gov. John Lynch (D) is also said to be looking into the race.

Here: http://www.rollcall.com/news/3… You need a a subscription for the article.  

I wouldn’t put much stock into a governor considering a senate race.  He will probably just fall back on running for governor.  I doubt Menendez can sweet talk him out of it.  

What do you guys think?  Also recent news I made a comment on but didn’t get much attention, Brad Miller pulled himself out of consideration from NC-Sen in 2010.  http://www.wral.com/news/state…

Former Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL) to head Transportation

Don’t know a lot about him other than he just retired from Congress, is one of the more moderate republicans and is well-liked by people in both parties.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITI…

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) — President-elect Barack Obama has picked GOP Rep. Ray LaHood of Illinois to be his nominee for transportation secretary, two sources told CNN on Wednesday.

Two Democratic sources also said Obama will tap Mary Schapiro to head the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Schapiro is CEO of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the largest nongovernment regulator for all securities firms doing business with the U.S. public. She is a former SEC commissioner and served as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in 1994 during the Clinton Administration.

Obama will formally announce his choice of LaHood, a seven-term congressman from Peoria, at a press conference in Chicago on Thursday morning, the sources said.

LaHood is well-respected by Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

VA-05: Perriello Wins

It’s over:

Democrat Tom Perriello of Ivy has been officially declared the winner of the U.S. House of Representatives seat for the 5th District, defeating longtime incumbent Virgil H. Goode Jr.

“Having determined that Tom S. Perriello has received the highest number of votes, this court declares that he is elected as the representative of the 5th District,” Judge Timothy Sanner said this afternoon.

A three-judge panel today received the results of a statewide recount in the razor-thin race. The final, official tally: Perriello, 158,810; Goode, 158,083.

Congratulations to Congressman-elect Tom Perriello.

Update: By popular demand…