AP: Kratovil wins 1st District {not all ballots counted yet}

Democrat's lead jumps to 2,003 after first absentee ballot count
By Greg Latshaw • Staff Writer • November 8, 2008

SALISBURY -- The Associated Press is reporting that Democrat Frank M. Kratovil Jr. has defeated Republican state Sen. Andy Harris to win a 1st Congressional District seat held by the GOP for 18 years.

The AP called the race Friday evening after Kratovil's slim election-night lead of 915 votes jumped to 2,003 after the first absentee ballot count was completed. It is nearly impossible for Harris to make up enough ground among the 4,800 provisional ballots to be counted Monday and another 8,000 absentee ballots later in the week, the AP reports.

Kratovil issued a statement saying he is "encouraged" by the announcement, but stopped short of declaring victory. Harris' campaign manager, Chris Meekins, said many more ballots need to be counted before the race for the U.S. House seat is officially over.

"With over 10,000 ballots outstanding, many of which are military, Andy wants to see the trends of the ballots counted Monday before making an official statement. If the trends continue, Andy will hold a press conference on Monday night or Tuesday," Meekins said.

A victory by Kratovil, the Queen Anne's County State's Attorney, would be a huge upset in a district that typically votes Republican. The 40-year-old Stevensville resident cast himself as a moderate Democrat that is pro-environment and tough on immigration offenders.
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more: http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20081108/NEWS01/811080334

I'm going to exceed the five-para limit and add this tidbit for those who don't know: "Republican Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest has held the 1st District since 1990 {that's NINE terms}, but lost in a bitter primary to Harris and crossed party lines in September to support Kratovil." Repubs take note: this is what you risk when you adopt a Rovian "all's fair game" attitude. Wounds opened in the primary could not be closed in time to benefit Andy Harris, friend of polluters, and minion of HMO's and insurance companies.