Fimian vs. Connolly race called
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Crowd members react to news that Democrat Gerry Connolly had taken the lead in the vote count. Though Fimian maintained a healthy lead early in the count, Connolly pushed past in the later hours. The race is now too close to call. (Gregory Connolly)
Photos from the Mason Inn
Video: Republican candidate Keith Fimian hosted a results-watch party tonight at the Mason Inn Tuesday night. Broadside News Editor Gregory Connolly was there to capture the event in photos.
>> Watch it on MasonVotes
Video: Republican candidate Keith Fimian hosted a results-watch party tonight at the Mason Inn Tuesday night. Broadside News Editor Gregory Connolly was there to capture the event in photos.
>> Watch it on MasonVotes
UPDATED: Nov. 6, 2010
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.
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With 100 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 today, Connolly was up 820 votes over Fimian, according to TBD.com.
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, victory is far from either candidate’s grasp.
Follow more election coverage on MasonVotes.
Connect2Mason updated this article with content from Mason Votes on Nov. 6, 2010.
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