24th Congressional Race too close to callUTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The 24th Congressional Race between Democratic Incumbent Michael Arcuri and Republican Richard Hanna is too close to call. With all but seven precints reporting, the tally has Congressman Arcuri only 6,033 votes ahead of Republican challenger Richard Hanna. Two years ago, Michael Arcuri moved into uncharted territory by winning an open congressional seat in a district where a Democrat had not won in 58 years. On Tuesday, Arcuri headed back into that uncharted territory to try and do what had not been done in 74 years – have an incumbent, local Democrat re-elected to the House of Representatives. As Election Night 2008 ended, it was still not clear if he had accomplished that. When Wednesday, November 05, 2008, began, Rep. Michael Arcuri held a 6,033 vote lead over political newcomer Richard Hanna. With 520 of 528 voting districts counted in the 24th District, Democrat Arcuri had 117,976 votes and Republican Hanna had 111,943 votes. With three districts not yet reported, Hanna had a 523 vote lead over Arcuri in Oneida County. Oneida County has the largest voting block in the district and it would seem difficult for any candidate to win the congressional race without taking Oneida County. We are not certain where the three unreported Oneida County districts are, but historically they are rural areas that usually vote Republican. In Herkimer County, where Arcuri posted a shocking win over his Republican opponent two years ago, Hanna beat Arcuri by just under 3,600 votes. Hanna was also able to reverse his party’s fortunes in Broome County by beating the incumbent by 1,378 votes. But, Arcuri got big boosts in Cayuga and Tompkins counties, holding a lead of just under 4,400 in Cayuga and just over 3,900 in Tompkins with a small number of districts yet to report in both. Two big county surprises, beside the numbers from Oneida County, were from Chenango and Otsego Counties. In 2006, Republican Ray Meier beat Arcuri in Chenango County. It was one of only two counties that Meier won. In this election, Arcuri tallied 139 more votes than Hanna with all of the districts reporting. In Otsego County, the home county of Richard Hanna, with all of the districts reporting, Arcuri had 844 more votes than Hanna. If Hanna can hold his lead in Oneida County, both candidates will have lost their home counties. A significant number of absentee ballots are yet to be counted. It may be a while before the outcome of this race is officially determined. |
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