Congressional race in N.Y. is too close to call
Democrat Scott Murphy leads Republican Jim Tedisco by 65 votes in a contest focused on Obama's economic policies. Absentee ballots will decide the outcome.
Albany, N.Y. -- The two candidates in a New York congressional race that focused on President Obama's economic policies are separated by only 65 votes with all the precincts reporting and more than 150,000 votes counted.
Democrat Scott Murphy, 38, holds the slim lead over Republican Jim Tedisco, 58. The race will come down to roughly 10,000 absentee ballots, none of which were to be counted on election night, officials said.
Some absentee ballots are from voters overseas, which will be counted as long as they arrive by April 13. New York's deadline had been April 7, but the U.S. Department of Justice sued the state for not giving overseas absentee voters enough time to return ballots.
The victor will replace Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, who was appointed to the U.S. Senate to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton when she became secretary of State.
Murphy, a businessman and political newcomer, and national Democrats staked his campaign on the strength of Obama and his economic policies, specifically, his $787-billion stimulus plan.
Tedisco, an assemblyman for 27 years, attacked Murphy for supporting the stimulus plan, which he said allowed massive bonuses at the bailed-out insurer AIG.
Each campaign raised more than $1 million and got major support from national committees and political groups.
Murphy is a venture capitalist multimillionaire who has lived in New York for more than a decade.
Tedisco is the minority leader in the state Assembly. He doesn't live in the district, an issue cited by Democrats during the campaign.
Polling places and local election boards reported light turnout, not unusual in a special election in which there are no statewide offices or big names on the ballot.
Republicans hoped a win would knock Obama off balance, considering the race as one of the party's top priorities.
Democrats hoped for a win in a traditionally Republican district less than 100 days after Obama took office.
News Source: latimes.com
Democrat Scott Murphy leads Republican Jim Tedisco by 65 votes in a contest focused on Obama's economic policies. Absentee ballots will decide the outcome.
Albany, N.Y. -- The two candidates in a New York congressional race that focused on President Obama's economic policies are separated by only 65 votes with all the precincts reporting and more than 150,000 votes counted.
Democrat Scott Murphy, 38, holds the slim lead over Republican Jim Tedisco, 58. The race will come down to roughly 10,000 absentee ballots, none of which were to be counted on election night, officials said.
Some absentee ballots are from voters overseas, which will be counted as long as they arrive by April 13. New York's deadline had been April 7, but the U.S. Department of Justice sued the state for not giving overseas absentee voters enough time to return ballots.
The victor will replace Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, who was appointed to the U.S. Senate to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton when she became secretary of State.
Murphy, a businessman and political newcomer, and national Democrats staked his campaign on the strength of Obama and his economic policies, specifically, his $787-billion stimulus plan.
Tedisco, an assemblyman for 27 years, attacked Murphy for supporting the stimulus plan, which he said allowed massive bonuses at the bailed-out insurer AIG.
Each campaign raised more than $1 million and got major support from national committees and political groups.
Murphy is a venture capitalist multimillionaire who has lived in New York for more than a decade.
Tedisco is the minority leader in the state Assembly. He doesn't live in the district, an issue cited by Democrats during the campaign.
Polling places and local election boards reported light turnout, not unusual in a special election in which there are no statewide offices or big names on the ballot.
Republicans hoped a win would knock Obama off balance, considering the race as one of the party's top priorities.
Democrats hoped for a win in a traditionally Republican district less than 100 days after Obama took office.
News Source: latimes.com
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