memeorandum: NY-23: [UPDATE] Hoffman Accuses Democrats of ‘Stealing the Election’ (David Weigel/The Washington Independent)

12:40 AM ET, November 4, 2009

Top Items:

HOFFMAN CLOSING ON OWENS — Democrat ahead of Conservative by 2,512 votes — Democrat Bill Owens is leading in the 23rd Congressional District race. — The Plattsburgh attorney has 50,884 votes compared to Conservative Doug Hoffman, a Lake Placid CPA, with 47,166 votes.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, WSYR-TV, Open Left, Riehl World View, Swampland, The Hill, the albany project, Capitol Confidential, The Mudflats, Hotline On Call, Below The Beltway and Gateway Pundit

Elizabeth Benjamin / The Daily Politics:

Police Called To NY-23 Polling Sites (Updated) — It's getting ugly out there. — I just got off the phone with former state Democratic Chairwoman June O'Neill, who informed me the police had been called to at least two polling sites in St. Lawrence County due to overzealous electioneering …

Discussion: The Washington Independent, Wonkette, Hot Air, Campaign Trail, Left Coast Rebel, TPMDC, Hotline On Call, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Mercury Rising and Right Klik

Alexander Burns / The Politico:

GOP sweeps gov races, Dem wins in NY — Republican gubernatorial candidates racked up major wins for the GOP in Virginia and New Jersey Tuesday night as Democrats scored a single victory in a special congressional election in upstate New York. — Former Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, The Western Experience, And So it Goes in Shreveport, The Nation and JOSHUAPUNDIT

David Weigel / The Washington Independent:

NY-23: Watertown Mayor: 'It's Over' — SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. - I caught Watertown, N.Y., Mayor Jeff Graham, who endorsed NY-23 Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman this weekend, looking very glum at Hoffman's election party. I asked him what happened in Jefferson County, where Watertown is located …

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …, Ben Smith's Blog, Hot Air, AMERICAblog News, Hotline On Call and Wonkette

David Weigel / The Washington Independent:

NY-23: [UPDATE] Hoffman Accuses Democrats of ‘Stealing the Election’ — PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — At a short press availability in his campaign office here, NY-23 Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman said that a GOTV volunteer's tires had been slashed, and all but blamed Democrats for the dirty trick.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Daily Kos, The Moderate Voice, The Political Carnival, MyDD, New York Magazine and Hullabaloo

Tom Bevan / Real Clear Politics:

Election Night Live Blog — Comment and analysis on tonight's elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York: — 12:02 — FOX declares the race for Owens. With 71% in, Maine looks to be overriding the legislature's decision to allow gay marriage in the state, though it's still too close to call.

Discussion: Power Line, The Fix, JammieWearingFool, The Atlantic Politics Channel, Politics Nation, Swampland and Government Bytes

Ian Urbina / New York Times:

In Virginia, McDonnell Ends Democrats' Streak — RICHMOND, Va. — Robert F. McDonnell, a Republican and a former state attorney general, won a decisive victory in Virginia's governor's race Tuesday, a stark reversal of fortune for Democrats who have held control in Richmond for the past eight years.

Discussion: Washington Post, Guardian, The New Republic and The Page

CBS News:

Exit Polls in Va. and N.J.: The Obama (Non) Factor? — As voters in Virginia and New Jersey headed to the polls today to elect their governors, Americans across the country were watching these off-year races for implications about the nation's mood heading into 2010.

Discussion: Hot Air, Left Coast Rebel, Daily Kos, The Hill, Taegan Goddard's …, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Below The Beltway, Shot in the Dark and Don Surber

Robert Stacy McCain / The Other McCain:

NY23 Election Results HQ; UPDATE: Team Hoffman predicts ‘close’ victory; UPDATE II: Numbers in the war room — 12:05 a.m. WED 10/4: HOFFMAN EXPECTED TO CONCEDE IN STATEMENT. Will update . . . 11:32 p.m.: Neither the Owens campaign nor the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is declaring victory.

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog, Townhall.com, Talking Points Memo, Swampland, Daily Pundit, Conservatives4Palin.com, The Washington Independent, Another Black Conservative and The Daley Gator

CNN:

Exit polls: In New Jersey, Obama not a major factor — (CNN) - Six in 10 New Jersey voters said Tuesday that President Obama had no effect on their vote in this off-year gubernatorial election, according to early CNN Exit Poll data. — Obama visited New Jersey this week to campaign …

Discussion: Hotline On Call, The Politico, The Fix, msnbc.com and The Political Carnival

Hotline On Call:

NJ GOV: Christie Crushing Among Indies — According to early exit poll data released by CNN, ex-U.S. Atty Chris Christie (R) leads Gov. Jon Corzine among indie voters, 58-33%. Indies make up 27% of the electorate thus far today. — For comparison, the latest Monmouth Univ. poll …

Discussion: Associated Press, Talking Points Memo, Sister Toldjah, Real Numbers and Other Musings, Hot Air, Newsweek Blogs, Taegan Goddard's … and National Review Online

Gary Langer / ABCNEWS:

'09 Exit Polls: Voters Approve of Obama, Wary of Economy — McDonnell Projected to Win VA; New Jersey Polls Close, Begin Count — Vast economic discontent marked the mood of Tuesday's off-year voters, portending potential trouble for incumbents generally and Democrats in particular in 2010.

Discussion: Hullabaloo, Big Government, Pajamas Media and Daily Pundit

Michael Patrick Leahy / TCOT REPORT 2009©:
Hoffman Barnstorms NY 23 in Plane

Discussion: Townhall.com

Washington Wire:
A Flat Tire Leads to Accusations in NY-23 Race

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog and Wonkette

The Politico:
Gibbs: Obama ‘not watching returns’

Discussion: protein wisdom, Commentary and Big Government

WCBS-TV:
Christie Gives GOP Stunning Win In N.J.

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Corner on National …, Classical Values, NO QUARTER and Confederate Yankee

CNN:
Exit poll: In Virginia, it's all about the economy

Discussion: Associated Press, The Opinionator, The Swamp, Scared Monkeys, The Daily Dish, The Page and Weekly Standard

Karl Vick / Washington Post: In New Jersey, Christie beats incumbent Corzine in governor's race

Michelle Breidenbach / Syracuse Post-Standard:
Dede Scozzafava says ‘hate, lies’ wore her down

Discussion: Riehl World View, TPMDC, The Caucus, The Other McCain, The Jawa Report and KN@PPSTER

Erick Erickson / Erick's blog:
Hoffman Poll Watcher Has Tires Slashed [updated]

Discussion: TBogg, Talking Points Memo and TPMDC

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
An independent move to GOP

Discussion: The Strata-Sphere

Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Contests serve as warning to Democrats: It's not 2008 anymore

Discussion: New York Magazine

Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
Christie Unseats Corzine in New Jersey; Bloomberg Wins a Third Term as Mayor

Discussion: The Hill and The Confluence

John Amato / Crooks and Liars:
Police called in to NY-23 polling stations because of voter …

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Washington Independent, Hullabaloo and The Mahablog

Nice Deb:
As Was Feared: Absentee Voter Fraud is Realized In NJ Governor's Race

Discussion: Election Journal, The Other McCain, Campaign Trail, Gateway Pundit and RedState

CNN:
Exit polls: Independents may play crucial role

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog, Real Numbers and Other Musings, Taylor Marsh and TPMDC

Watertown Daily Times:
Glitches may delay vote reporting in four St. Lawrence Co. towns

Discussion: The Hill, The Daily Politics, Swing State Project, Hotline On Call and TPMDC

CNN:
Analysis: Anger, frustration fuel Election Day 2009

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Doug Ross, Pajamas Media, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Associated Press, Virginia Politics, Sweetness & Light and Christian Science Monitor

Jon Walker / Firedoglake:
NY-23: The Failure Of Blue Dogging

Discussion: Public Policy Polling, Right Klik, Eunomia, The Hill, Right Wing Nut House and Pajamas Media

Chris Good / The Atlantic Politics Channel:
NY-23: Who Spent What? — New York's 23rd district …

Discussion: Newsweek Blogs

Alan Silverleib / CNN:
CNN projects GOP to sweep governors' races

Discussion: The New Republic, A Blog For All, The Reaction and Indecision Forever

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

NBC reverses Bloomberg call — Wow: This is looking to be a very long night for the billionaire-incumbent-front- runner in New York. — With more than a third of the votes in, it's a 1-point race. NBC called it for Bloomberg — but just reversed that call. The New York Times continues to indicate that Bloomberg has won.

New York Times:
Mayor Prevails Over Thompson, but the Margin Is Close

Discussion: Michael Calderone's Blog, The Daily Politics, Indecision Forever, The Confluence, The Page and New York Magazine

Michael Falcone / The Politico:
Bloomberg gets a scare but wins

Discussion: Swampland

Glenn Garvin / Chicago Tribune:

‘V’ aims at Obamamania — Imagine this. At a time of political turmoil, a charismatic, telegenic new leader arrives virtually out of nowhere. He offers a message of hope and reconciliation based on compromise and promises to marshal technology for a better future that will include universal health care.

Discussion: Gawker, Taylor Marsh, NewsBusters.org, Big Hollywood and Clayton Cramer's BLOG

Clemente Lisi / New York Post:

Former presidents to face off in debate — Bubba and Dubya are going to engage in a presidential debate for the ages. — Former President Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will square off on the same stage at Radio City Music Hall in February as part of a series pitting liberal and conservative thinkers.

Discussion: TPM LiveWire, The Page, Weasel Zippers and MyDD

David Saltonstall / NY Daily News:
Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to debate at Radio City

Discussion: Gothamist, Politics Daily, Truthdig, Raw Story and New York Magazine

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Turnout high in Maine — Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap told me just now that turnout there is far exceeding his projections — news that would be good news for backers of same-sex marriage. — “We're seeing heavy and very steady turnout,” he said, attributing the surprise to the contested vote on a …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Politics Daily, The Politico, Los Angeles Times, ABCNEWS, The Moderate Voice, Indecision Forever, TPM LiveWire, The Daily Dish, AMERICAblog Gay and The Political Carnival

CNN:

Louisiana justice who refused interracial marriage resigns — (CNN) — A Louisiana justice of the peace who drew criticism for refusing to marry an interracial couple has resigned, the secretary of state's office said Tuesday. — Keith Bardwell resigned in person at the Louisiana secretary …

Discussion: Opinion L.A., Raw Story and Think Progress

Glenn Harlan Reynolds / New York Post:

The Obama magic has faded — All politics is local, they say, and Tuesday's off-off-year elections certainly had their local angles. Jon Corzine has been a terrible governor even by the undemanding standards of terribly governed New Jersey. Creigh Deeds, though he looked …

TheDenverChannel.com:

Breckenridge Votes To Legalize Marijuana — BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. — The skiing town of Breckenridge voted Tuesday night by a margin of nearly 3 to 1 to legalize the adult possession of marijuana. — Breckenridge voters passed Measure 2F, which removes criminal penalties from the town code …

Discussion: TalkLeft and Raw Story