Virginia Attoney General race

[DINGO Joe]

The recount starts Monday in Arlington, Fairfax, and Chesapeake, and everywhere else on Tuesday. Only optical scanner and handwritten ballots are actually recounted.  Touchscreen votes really can't be recounted, just recanvassed.  Out of the 2.2 million votes only about 700,000 will be recounted, according to VPAP.

[DINGO Joe]

The recount starts Monday in Arlington, Fairfax, and Chesapeake, and everywhere else on Tuesday. Only optical scanner and handwritten ballots are actually recounted.  Touchscreen votes really can't be recounted, just recanvassed.  Out of the 2.2 million votes only about 700,000 will be recounted, according to VPAP.

First day of recounts, only jurisdiction providing updates is Fairfax where Herring added 234 votes and Obenshain 95 with a little over 1/3 of the recount complete.  Pushes Herring's lead to 304 votes.

[DINGO Joe]

Mid-Morning update, with the recount still dominated by Fairfax, Herring now has a 455 votes lead. About 10 smaller counties with Touchscreen have reported no or minimal changes.  More importantly, in Chesterfield which Obenshain won by about 10,000 votes, Herring has picked up 14 more votes than Obenshain so far.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ApI-UwWlYOlrdGw4VXJNX3VUYkE1TE81d0xDa3NRMEE&usp=sharing#gid=0

[windjammer]

[Gass3268]

Good news!

[DINGO Joe]

Herring's general counsel says the margin is now 607 with about 50% of the recount reporting.

[ElectionsGuy]

This recount appears to be helping Herring.

Better trying than giving up.

[DINGO Joe]

Latest update from Herring puts the margin as high as 866.  There are just under 120 contested ballots and if all the challenges fail, it 866, if their all successful it's 811.

[Skill and Chance]

Also, Herring likely carried VA-10 now.  He was down 72 there in the initial count before all of the changes in Fairfax and Loudoun.

[Gass3268]

The sweep is complete!

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/obenshain-to-concede-virginia-attorney-generals-race-on-wednesday-in-richmond/2013/12/18/fe85a31c-67e7-11e3-8b5b-a77187b716a3_story.html

[DrScholl]

I'm surprised Obershain didn't take it to the House of Delegates, they would have overwhelmingly voted to seat him. I guess he accepted the result, though and didn't take the easy path.

[Landslide Lyndon]

I'm surprised Obershain didn't take it to the House of Delegates, they would have overwhelmingly voted to seat him. I guess he accepted the result, though and didn't take the easy path.

With Herring's lead growing to 600+ votes that would have been a scandal of national proportions. I really doubt that national Republicans would want such bad publicity in exchange for the office of a state AG.

[LeBron]

I'm surprised Obershain didn't take it to the House of Delegates, they would have overwhelmingly voted to seat him. I guess he accepted the result, though and didn't take the easy path.

With Herring's lead growing to 600+ votes that would have been a scandal of national proportions. I really doubt that national Republicans would want such bad publicity in exchange for the office of a state AG.

I bet he might have, but it says the state legislature would contest the election which includes both the largely Republican controlled House of Delegates and the now newly controlled split 50-50 Democratic State Senate. Assuming all 20 Democratic State Senators would go loyally for Herring, Obenshain really would have just been wasting his time on a split decision by both chambers of the legislature.

There's no doubt though that given Cuccinelli's arrogance, he must have pressured him all throughout to try that option just so a Democrat wouldn't be the one succeeding him in office as AG.

[DrScholl]

I'm surprised Obershain didn't take it to the House of Delegates, they would have overwhelmingly voted to seat him. I guess he accepted the result, though and didn't take the easy path.

With Herring's lead growing to 600+ votes that would have been a scandal of national proportions. I really doubt that national Republicans would want such bad publicity in exchange for the office of a state AG.

True, that would be a bridge too far, even for Republicans. Overturning an election would not be good press at all.

[windjammer]

Well, if they do that, new election? And Herring would win by double digits.

[IceSpear]

I'm surprised Obershain didn't take it to the House of Delegates, they would have overwhelmingly voted to seat him. I guess he accepted the result, though and didn't take the easy path.

Obenshain still has statewide ambitions. Doing that would make him toxic. As it is, he's likely still the frontrunner for the nomination in 2017 since Bolling is in exile.

[DINGO Joe]

It's certified, Herring won by 907 votes.  Turns out not to be closest election in Virginia history as that remains the Deeds-McDonnell race for AG in 2005. 

[Vosem]

I'm surprised Obershain didn't take it to the House of Delegates, they would have overwhelmingly voted to seat him. I guess he accepted the result, though and didn't take the easy path.

With Herring's lead growing to 600+ votes that would have been a scandal of national proportions. I really doubt that national Republicans would want such bad publicity in exchange for the office of a state AG.

I bet he might have, but it says the state legislature would contest the election which includes both the largely Republican controlled House of Delegates and the now newly controlled split 50-50 Democratic State Senate. Assuming all 20 Democratic State Senators would go loyally for Herring, Obenshain really would have just been wasting his time on a split decision by both chambers of the legislature.

There's no doubt though that given Cuccinelli's arrogance, he must have pressured him all throughout to try that option just so a Democrat wouldn't be the one succeeding him in office as AG.

No, the HoD and state Senate would've voted in a joint session, and the HoD outnumbers the Senate; Obenshain would've won. But the state's Republicans have decided to accept the voters' decision.

[DINGO Joe]

No, the HoD and state Senate would've voted in a joint session, and the HoD outnumbers the Senate; Obenshain would've won. But the state's Republicans have decided to accept the voters' decision.

Mighty big of them.

[LeBron]

I'm surprised Obershain didn't take it to the House of Delegates, they would have overwhelmingly voted to seat him. I guess he accepted the result, though and didn't take the easy path.

With Herring's lead growing to 600+ votes that would have been a scandal of national proportions. I really doubt that national Republicans would want such bad publicity in exchange for the office of a state AG.

I bet he might have, but it says the state legislature would contest the election which includes both the largely Republican controlled House of Delegates and the now newly controlled split 50-50 Democratic State Senate. Assuming all 20 Democratic State Senators would go loyally for Herring, Obenshain really would have just been wasting his time on a split decision by both chambers of the legislature.

There's no doubt though that given Cuccinelli's arrogance, he must have pressured him all throughout to try that option just so a Democrat wouldn't be the one succeeding him in office as AG.

No, the HoD and state Senate would've voted in a joint session, and the HoD outnumbers the Senate; Obenshain would've won. But the state's Republicans have decided to accept the voters' decision.

Oh. I was assuming they had a regular session where they voted on who they wanted as AG separately. But yeah, you're right then because it would end the way you mentioned with a final vote of like 85-55.

It's annoying though because McAuliffe probably won't be able to overturn any of "Mr. Ultrasounds" laws or get anything else passed his whole term as long as Republicans hold close to a 2/3rd majority in the House of Delegates. Him and Saslaw will be able to block the passage of anymore extreme GOP bills, but besides that, his Governorship won't be very effective.

[ElectionsGuy]

Well, this looks like a slide of all three offices. Congratulations, dems.

[TX Conservative Dem]

Obenshain (R) likely going for the Governorship in 2017 despite losing the State AG's race.

Meanwhile, LG-elect Northam (D) has to be considered the front-runner for 2017 and Herring should seek reelection as State AG in '17.

[IceSpear]

Obenshain (R) likely going for the Governorship in 2017 despite losing the State AG's race.

Meanwhile, LG-elect Northam (D) has to be considered the front-runner for 2017 and Herring should seek reelection as State AG in '17.

I wonder if this could turn into the Dem version of Cuccinelli/Bolling. A lot of progressives would prefer Herring over Northam.