Good Luck in Virginia, Jim

Jim Webb (D-VA) received almost 8,000 more votes than his opponent, George Allen (1,170,564 to 1,162,717 with 99.8% reporting). The New York Times is reporting that a recount could go ahead because the margin of victory is less than 1% of total votes cast. However, such a recount cannot begin until the vote is certified, which is not scheduled to happen until November 27th. I hope Virginia puts a rush on certification because a recount after Thanksgiving is absurd. In any event, the wildcard here could be the Virginia courts. Not the most left-leaning judiciary. With this wildcard in his favor, Allen probably comes out of Virginia alive.

Tester, on the other hand, probably will take Montana even though his lead in votes is less than 1,600 (194,914 to 193,179 with 99.9% reporting). As The Times reports, that margin amounts to a 1.6 percent gap — "not enough, if it holds up, to give Mr. Burns the legal right to request a recount. Montana law provides for recounts only in races with a margin of one-quarter of 1 percent or less."