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Mark Warner, Ed Gillespie in tight U.S. Senate race in Virginia Mark Warner declares victory over Ed Gillespie in tight U.S. Senate race in Virginia
(about 2 hours later)
Election officials in Virginia were preparing for a possible recount as U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner was locked in a surprisingly tight race with Republican strategist and challenger Ed Gillespie. U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner declared victory late Tuesday over Republican challenger Ed Gillespie in race that dented the former Democratic governor’s indomitable image.
With 99 percent of precincts counted, Warner was leading Gillespie by about 3,400 votes. With 99 percent of precincts counted, Warner was leading Gillespie by more than 12,000 votes out of more than 2 million cast.
Brian W. Schoeneman, Fairfax County Electoral Board secretary, said county officials are readying for a potential recount. “It was a hard-fought race. It went a little longer than we thought,” Warner told supporters just before midnight. “I want to congratulate Ed Gillespie. He ran a hard-fought campaign.”
“It’s getting tight,” Schoeneman said. “We’re in recount territory.” Warner thanked voters for sending him back to Washington to “get the job done and actually govern.”
He said that the election results, stored on flash drives, statements from voting machines, as well as provisional ballots are being delivered from each precinct to the county government building, where they will be kept in a sealed room overnight. Gillespie declined to concede. "Let’s just stay together for a few more days, maybe longer,” he said, calling for patience and adding that he wants to be “respectful of the voters.”
As an extra precaution against tampering, armed guards will stand watch outside the room throughout the night, he said. “We are going to accept whatever is the final outcome,” he said.
The actual ballots are being taken to the court house, where they will be sealed in a vault, he said. In Virginia, the trailing candidate can request a recount if the difference between the two candidates is one percent or less of the total votes cast. In this case that would translate to more than 20,000 votes. Brian W. Schoeneman, Fairfax County Electoral Board secretary, said such a count is possible. “We’re in recount territory,” he said.
In Virginia, the trailing candidate can request a recount if the difference between the two candidates is one percent or less of the total votes cast. In this case that would translate to more than 20,000 votes. Gillespie’s unrelenting attack on Warner’s voting record in support of Obama proved effective against Warner, who has been Virginia’s most popular politician for more than a decade. Gillespie slammed Warner for voting with the president 97 percent of the time, including for the Affordable Care Act.
Gillespie’s unrelenting attack on Warner’s voting record in support of Obama proved at least somewhat effective against Warner, who has been Virginia’s most popular politician for more than a decade. Gillespie’s chief line of attack was that Warner had voted with the president 97 percent of the time, most notably for the Affordable Care Act. Warner has long billed himself as a business-friendly moderate. He won his first race for Senate in a landslide in 2008.
Warner has long billed himself as a business-friendly moderate. He won his first race for Senate in a landslide in 2008. But Gillespie, his underdog opponent, took him on in a year when President Obama’s low approval ratings have been a drag on Democrats nationally. But, this time, Warner was tagged with the perceived sins of Washington.
The former Republican National Committee chairman claimed at a rally Tuesday that momentum was on his side — taking note of narrowing polls and the energy of a volunteer squad he dubbed his “G-Force.” In Arlington County, Ronelle Matney, 63, a consultant and self-identified independent, and her husband, Bud, 75, who retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve, voted for Gillespie, citing concerns about the economy and a host of other national and international issues. They said the Democratic leadership has let the country down with its handling of Benghazi, the IRS, Ebola and the Islamic State militant group.
Gillespie supporters were buzzing with hopeful excitement at his victory party as the first returns showed the Republican up. At a ballroom at an Embassy Suites hotel in Springfield, they sipped wine and kept their fingers crossed. “It’s time for a change,” they each said.
“Early results are certainly encouraging,” said Tom Pengidore, 52, of Alexandria. But Brian Entzminger, who works in sales, was among those who put Warner over the top. Voting in Crystal City, his reason was clear, though his goal would prove to be out of reach: “I don’t want the Republicans to control the Senate,” he said.
Polls have suggested that Warner, a former governor running for his second term in the Senate, would be reelected despite a tough national environment for Democrats. He has aimed for centrist consensus in the Senate. He also outspent his rival by a two-to-one margin and benefited from more outside money. Gillespie, a former Republican National Committee chairman, claimed at a rally Tuesday that momentum was on his side — taking note of narrowing polls and the energy of a volunteer squad he dubbed his “G-Force.” His supporters buzzed with hopeful excitement at his victory party as the first returns showed the Republican up. At a ballroom at an Embassy Suites hotel in Springfield, they sipped wine and kept their fingers crossed.
Outside the ballroom where Warner supporters began to gather as the polls closed, Daphne Steinberg, 45, of Fairfax County, said: “I think he’s his own man. He’s not a guy that’s going to let someone else’s opinion necessarily dictate his. On the other hand, he’s a guy who listens to other people so he’s very middle of the road. To me the Republicans seem to be people of great extremes and the Democrats aren’t. That’s one of the big reasons I go for them – I think they are more prepared to reach across the aisle,” she said. Polls had suggested that Warner, a former governor running for his second term in the Senate, would be reelected despite a tough national environment for Democrats. He has aimed for centrist consensus in the Senate. He also outspent his rival by a two-to-one margin and benefited from more outside money.
Even if Warner prevails, a close race would tarnish his image as an untouchable force in Virginia politics. Six years ago, Warner beat former governor James S. Gilmore III (R) by over thirty points, sweeping all but a handful of the state’s counties. Warner prides himself on his attention to the southwest, a largely rural and conservative corner of the state. Yet even his supporters there, including several former Republican lawmakers, say Obama’s unpopularity with those voters has weighed Warner down. Outside the ballroom where Warner supporters gathered, Daphne Steinberg, 45, of Fairfax County, said: “I think he’s his own man. He’s not a guy that’s going to let someone else’s opinion necessarily dictate his. On the other hand, he’s a guy who listens to other people so he’s very middle of the road. To me the Republicans seem to be people of great extremes and the Democrats aren’t. That’s one of the big reasons I go for them – I think they are more prepared to reach across the aisle,” she said.
Likewise, a near victory would be a significant boost for Gillespie’s future political career. Political observers say he is well positioned for another statewide bid, having earned GOP goodwill with his willingness to take on someone consistently ranked the state’s most popular political figure. Even if Warner ultimately prevails, the close race will tarnish his image as an untouchable force in Virginia politics. Six years ago, Warner beat former governor James S. Gilmore III (R) by over thirty points, sweeping all but a handful of the state’s counties. Warner prides himself on his attention to the southwest, a largely rural and conservative corner of the state. Yet even his supporters there, including several former Republican lawmakers, say Obama’s unpopularity with those voters has weighed Warner down.
Warner built a career on appealing across party lines. As governor in 2004, he got moderate Republicans in Virginia’s General Assembly to go along with a then-unprecedented tax hike, which allowed him to pour money into education. In the Senate, he helped lead the bipartisan “Gang of Six” that tried to attack the national deficit.
Warner left the governor’s mansion in 2006 with record-high approval ratings, and in the race to succeed retiring Sen. John W. Warner two years later, Warner crushed former governor James S. Gilmore III (R). He won by nearly two-thirds, dominating every region of the state, even rural areas where Republican presidential hopeful John McCain soundly beat Obama.
In declaring victory Tuesday, Warner sought to keep his earlier work, and image, alive.
“The commitment I’ll make to you is that I’ll go back to Washington and recognize that we’ve got to find that common ground. I know most of us here are Democrats, but neither political party has a monopoly on truth or virtue or patriotism,” Warner said. “And in this new Senate I’ll work with anyone — Democrat, Republican, Independent, you name it — if we’re gonna make sure we get our country’s problems fixed.”
Warner ticked off a list of priorities: pass a budget, pass a transportation bill, reform the tax code and create jobs, and reduce student debt.
“Yes, I’m gonna suit up one more time for whatever group, gang or cabal, whatever it takes to make sure we get our nation’s balance sheet fixed and don’t leave the next generation with 17 trillion in debt. We can do this together, Americans,” Warner said.
Even a near victory could be a significant boost for Gillespie’s future political career. Political observers say he is well positioned for another statewide bid, having earned GOP goodwill with his willingness to take on someone consistently ranked the state’s most popular political figure.
“He charged the hill no one else dared to charge and he did a really good job,” said Ray Allen, a longtime Republican strategist who did some work for Gillespie. “When he announced, Warner had an approval rating of 60 percent. That takes real guts.”“He charged the hill no one else dared to charge and he did a really good job,” said Ray Allen, a longtime Republican strategist who did some work for Gillespie. “When he announced, Warner had an approval rating of 60 percent. That takes real guts.”
During the campaign, Gillespie acknowledged Warner’s popularity as governor but invoked it again and again as a backhanded barb: “Governor Warner wouldn’t recognize Senator Warner today.”
Gillespie built his campaign around the notion that Warner’s “radical centrist” image no longer fit.
Gillespie came to the race with a deep political résumé. He helped write the Republicans’ “Contract with America” in the 1990s, served as counselor to President George W. Bush and led the Republican National Committee. But he had little name recognition. A Roanoke College poll in early March had him down 30 points. The margin had narrowed to 7 points in a Christopher Newport University poll released Friday.
Throughout the race, Warner portrayed Gillespie as a Washington insider and “partisan warrior” who would only contribute to Washington’s dysfunction. Warner made an issue of some clients represented by Gillespie’s lobbying firm, including the failed energy giant Enron and an Ivory Coast dictator.
A victory would return Warner to a job that the Nextel co-founder has often found frustrating due to partisan gridlock. He has spoken more fondly of his time as governor a decade ago, often joking that he misses being addressed as “his excellency.” On the campaign trail, he has promised to devote his next two years to a forceful push for bipartisan solutions, saying he’s learned from experience.A victory would return Warner to a job that the Nextel co-founder has often found frustrating due to partisan gridlock. He has spoken more fondly of his time as governor a decade ago, often joking that he misses being addressed as “his excellency.” On the campaign trail, he has promised to devote his next two years to a forceful push for bipartisan solutions, saying he’s learned from experience.
“I don’t think he has an interest in being a back bencher for 25 years,” said former Virginia Commonwealth University professor Bob Holsworth. “I think you’re going to see Warner really try to stake out that middle ground ... to bring answers to the questions that go completely unaddressed out there – the entitlement reform issues, reforming health care to make it work better.”“I don’t think he has an interest in being a back bencher for 25 years,” said former Virginia Commonwealth University professor Bob Holsworth. “I think you’re going to see Warner really try to stake out that middle ground ... to bring answers to the questions that go completely unaddressed out there – the entitlement reform issues, reforming health care to make it work better.”
In Virginia’s most hotly contested congressional contest, in the Washington suburbs’ 10th District, Republican Barbara J. Comstock defeated Democrat John W. Foust. U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly also won another two-year term representing Virginia’s 11th District. The Democrat faced three challengers.
Edward Heddinger voted for Foust over Comstock. Hedinger works at Northrop Grumman hiring veterans; he was in the Army National Guard when he was sent to Iraq, a deployment that was extended six months during the “surge.”
Heddinger said he has a libertarian bent interested in candidates who can get past rhetoric and partisan politics to get things done. He’s turned off when candidates try to prove their conservative or liberal credentials with hard-line positions.
“That was one of the commercials that annoyed us,” he said. “Comstock and ‘working mothers.’ We’re not talking about the issues.”
In Virginia’s 8th congressional district, former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer defeated Republican Micah K. Edmond in one of the state’s most liberal districts.
The Senate race reflected wider national trends, as GOP candidates hope to see a boost from supporters who sense that Republicans have a shot to win control of Congress.
In Arlington, Ronelle Matney, 63, a consultant and self-identified independent, voted for Republican Gillespie in hopes of seeing the Senate switch to Republican control.
She and her husband, Bud Matney, 75, who retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve and semi-retired from work as a cost analyst and former stockbroker, said they are very concerned about the economy and a host of other national and international issues. They feel the Democratic leadership has let the country down with its handling of Benghazi, the IRS, Ebola and the Islamic State militant group. “It’s time for a change,” they each said.
“I can’t say I’m so strongly enamored with the candidates,” Ronelle Matney said, “but [this is] more to get a vote for the opposing party to take leadership.
Brian Entzminger, who works in sales, hurried through the darkness to vote in Crystal City shortly after 6 a.m.
“I don’t want the Republicans to control the Senate,” Brian Entzminger said, adding that he supported Warner.
An onslaught of negative ads run by the Warner campaign in recent weeks hinted at concern that Gillespie was gaining ground despite a lack of substantial support from national Republicans.An onslaught of negative ads run by the Warner campaign in recent weeks hinted at concern that Gillespie was gaining ground despite a lack of substantial support from national Republicans.
Some voters in Newport News and Virginia Beach were stymied by malfunctioning electronic voting machines, which officials said would not delay the process. Across the state voters also dealt with new requirements related to the a photo identification law in force for the first time. Voting rights groups were out at the polls in force to help people comply with the new rules, which are among the nation’s strictest.
Turnout was expected to be fairly low across the Commonwealth. The number of voters who requested absentee ballots — a good barometer of interest — was just under 132,000 this year, down sharply from the 476,000 who did so in 2012, the last presidential year, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
Voting glitches were reported in some places as the elections also put Virginia’s new voter identification law to the test, and voter rights groups were monitoring polling places. The new requirements tripped up some voters in the early going.
Rose Mansfield, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Elections, said there were problems in some parts of the state early Tuesday with the way voting machines were displaying candidates’ names.
Statewide, the new voter ID requirement caused some minor confusion, according to organizations monitoring polling places.
By early afternoon, Tram Nguyen, co-executive director of Virginia New Majority, said she had not heard any reports of voters being denied the right to vote due to improper identification. But, she said, the new law was being applied inconsistently across the commonwealth.
When voters go to the polls, they should participate in a two-step process, she said. First, the poll worker must confirm that the voter is the person pictured on the ID presented and, second, the poll worker must ask for verbal confirmation of the street address the voter used to register to vote.
But some poll workers were mistakenly asking for documentation of the voter’s address, said Hope Amezquita, staff attorney and legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia. Other times, acceptable IDs — such as a U.S. passport and University of Virginia student ID — were rejected and the voters were not offered a provisional ballot in accordance with guidelines from the Department of Elections, she said, though she cited no examples where voters were ultimately blocked.
Susan Svrluga, Michael Alison Chandler, Justin Jouvenal, Miles Parks, Antonio Olivo and Rachel Weiner contributed to this report.Susan Svrluga, Michael Alison Chandler, Justin Jouvenal, Miles Parks, Antonio Olivo and Rachel Weiner contributed to this report.