Tag: Patrick Murphy

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Anti-gay Rep. Allen West finally concedes failed re-election bid

After two weeks of refusing to accept that vote-counting by officials in St. Lucie County, Florida, favored his opponent Patrick Murphy, including a recount which extended Murphy’s lead, Rep. Allen West (R-FL) conceded the race late Tuesday, Politico reports:

West acknowledged that he couldn’t surmount his 1,904-vote, or 0.58 percent, deficit. That difference was just outside the 0.5 percent threshold to automatically trigger a recount of all votes.

Said West in a statement:

“For two weeks since Election Day, we have been working to ensure every vote is counted accurately and fairly. We have made progress towards that goal, thanks to the dedication of our supporters and their unrelenting efforts to protect the integrity of the democratic process. While many questions remain unanswered, today I am announcing that I will take no further action to contest the outcome of this election… I pray he will serve his constituents with honor and integrity, and put the interests of our nation before his own.”

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Florida: US Rep. Allen West loses his seat to Patrick Murphy; won’t concede

The Palm Beach Post is reporting that US Rep Allen West has lost his re-election campaign to Patrick Murphy in Florida’s 18th Congressional district, but West won’t concede:

The final tally — still considered unofficial — put Murphy ahead of West by 2,429 votes. Overall, Murphy captured 166,799 votes to West’s 164,370 in District 18, which spans portions of Martin, St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties. An automatic recount is triggered by a margin of 0.5 percent. Murphy’s lead gives him a .7 percent advantage. All ballots in Martin and St. Lucie counties have been counted.

Those tallies include all election day, early voting and absentee ballots.

In addition to declaring on his Facebook page that the race is “far from decided,” West filed lawsuits to have ballots and voting machines impounded in Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties. The judge in Palm Beach threw the case out on Friday, though, telling West’s lawyers that their arguments fell “woefully short” of what was required for an injunction.

A St. Lucie judge is slated to hear West’s case on Tuesday.