By Christian Smith
9:56 A.M. Nov. 6
Mason Votes is calling Virginia’s 11th congressional district race for Gerry Connolly (D). The Virginia Board of Elections’ unofficial results say that with 100 percent of precincts reporting, Connolly received 111,695 votes, or 49.22 percent, while Keith Fimian (R) had 110,727 votes, or 48.79 percent.
The last word from the Fimian camp came in a statement released Nov. 3 where Tim Edson, Fimian’s campaign manager, wrote, “In an election this close, it is important to take the time to get the result right by seeing the counting and canvassing process through. When that process is complete, Keith
Fimian is confident that he will be declared the winner.”
On Nov. 4 George Burke, a spokesman for Connolly, said, “We are confident of Connolly’s win. We believe that mathematically, there is no chance that a recount (which is just a glorified canvass) can turn it around.”
Once the race is officially called the the Board of Elections, Fimian will be entitled to request a recount if his vote totals are certified to be within one percent of Connolly’s.
11:30 P.M. Nov. 2
With 98 percent of Virginia’s 11th congressional district’s polls reporting, the race between Gerry Connolly (D) and Keith Fimian (R) is too close to call. As of 11:24 p.m., Connolly had 108,572 votes to Fimian’s 107,660 votes, according to The Washington Post.
This election has been watched around the nation because of the candidates’ history. Fimain lost to Connolly in the 2008 U.S. House of Representatives race but has been fighting back essentially ever since. Then, Connolly won with 54 percent of the vote to Fimian’s 43 percent, a divide that is only distant memory now.
At 11:15 p.m. Connolly addressed his supporters and gave a speech seemingly claiming victory. But with over 26,000 absentee ballots still being counted tonight, victory is far from either candidate’s grasp.
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