Remember the gubernatorial election in Washington state – the unbelievably close one that Republican Dino Rossi won in the first count, won in the machine recount, but then lost in the hand re-recount to Democrat Christine Gregoire? Well, it’s not over. In fact, it’s about to go to trial, with Rossi claiming that illegal votes and other election problems tipped the election.
And, on the day before the trial starts, comes this outstanding report by the Seattle Times. Rossi’s biggest claim is that a large number of felons voted illegally. But the Times’s report shows pretty convincingly that even if you disqualify those felon votes, Rossi still lost. It’s a devastating article for Rossi, and a real journalistic tour de force. Go read it – it explains how both sides are trying to make their case, and how Rossi’s case doesn’t work.
Rossi should give up. It was really, really close, but he lost, and it’s absolutely ridiculous to expect the people of Washington state to go through another election at this late date based on highly questionable statistical models – Gregoire has been Governor for nearly six months. Get on with your life, Dino.
Hat tip: election law blog.
UPDATE: The trial judge has dismissed Rossi’s fraud claim, leaving him only the claim that illegal votes were cast. In light of the Times’s analysis, it’s looking grim for Rossi. Boo hoo.
I loved that Seattle Times article. It’s the kind of investigative journalism that you don’t see very often in the current world of newspapers with 90% AP reprints
How ironic that the GOP told Gore to “get over it” since he lost, and that he was a sore loser for persuing the issue in the courts.And yet, in WA…