With 20,000 ballots still uncounted and her lead just 2,835 votes, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce yesterday declared victory over Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy in their hard-fought race for Congress.
But Kilroy and her campaign manager said Pryce is premature. They think the uncounted votes in Democratic-leaning Franklin County will be enough to overcome the deficit and send Kilroy to Congress.
In unofficial figures released late yesterday by the Franklin County Board of Elections for the entire 15 th District, the Upper Arlington Republican had 100,343 votes and Kilroy had 97,508. Pryce, a seven-term incumbent, gained her margin in Union and Madison counties.
About 21,000 provisional ballots and 20,000 absentee ballots cast in Franklin County and received Monday and Tuesday remain to be counted, with about half of those in the 15 th District, according to Franklin County election officials.
Kilroy said those uncounted votes, particularly those in heavily Democratic precincts around Ohio State University, could tilt the balance her way. Kilroy edged Pryce in Franklin County in early returns.
"This race is still on," Kilroy said. "It’s not decided yet."
Kilroy’s campaign manager, Scott Kozar, was more optimistic: "When all the ballots are counted, Mary Jo Kilroy is going to Congress."
There were few ballots left to count in rural Union and Madison counties. In Union County, only 436 provisional ballots are left to count. And in Madison County there are 472 outstanding absentee and provisional ballots.
Absentee ballots already are being counted, with those totals added on a rolling basis over the next day or so...
Mary Jo, you go girl!!!!
Kilroy fought a very tough battle against a Republican incumbent and she is not going to stop until every vote is counted. No matter what the final result, we should all admire Kilroy for her tenacity.
UPDATE:
10:09AM----I just found this article that claims that Deborah Pryce lost. From GOPUSA:
...John Sweeney (ACU Lifetime Rating: 77) in New York lost. Deborah Pryce (ACU Lifetime Rating: 79) in Ohio lost. Curt Weldon (ACU Lifetime Rating 70) in Pennsylvania lost....
Does the author know something we don't know????????