Senate Balance Hangs on Wash. Absentees
NewsMax.com Wires
Thursday, Nov. 16, 2000
WASHINGTON (UPI) – The U.S. Senate balance between Republicans and Democrats hinged Wednesday on an estimated 182,000 uncounted absentee ballots in Washington state, where Republican incumbent Slade Gorton and Democrat challenger Rep. Maria Cantwell remain in a close race.
Of particular importance are 75,000 ballots from heavily Democrat King County.
David Brine, spokesman for Washington's secretary of state, said the counties were reporting 182,474 uncounted votes, except for Pierce County, which was refusing to supply outstanding vote information.
With a lead of just more than 5,100 votes, Gorton hopes that the remaining King County ballots do not mimic the outcome of the nearly 800,000 already counted. These have gone to Cantwell by 60 percent to 40 percent. If that pattern holds, it would represent a gain of about 15,000 votes for Cantwell, more than triple the incumbent's current advantage.
King County is expected to update its vote totals on Friday evening.
The outcome of this race will determine whether the GOP retains a one-vote advantage in the U.S. Senate, or if the upper house will be tied 50 to 50 in the 107th Congress.
Copyright 2000 by United Press International. All rights reserved.
