Saturday, May 20, 2006

Gubernatorial Endorsement Vote

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The press conference regarding DeStefano's running mate won't happen until after the vote. I have to assume he's still hoping for a DeStefano/Malloy ticket.

The vote is happening in about 15 minutes. As last night, I'll keep you up to date on the numbers. Watch this post, and reload often.

The nomination speeches are happening now.

A quick update from the GOP campaign... apparently Frank Lecce gave the nomination speech for Linda Roberts, so it seems like primary averted there.

The DeStefano campaign, as part of its "demonstration," brought in a marching band. It was something of a hit.

Diane Farrell is giving a nominating speech for Dan Malloy.

12:46

Eddie Perez is giving a nomination speech for Dan Malloy. This is the third time, by my count, that he has given a speech at this convention. He's a forceful and engaging speaker--I wonder what his ambitions are?

12:53

The Malloy speakers are focusing on how "electable" Malloy is, and that "this is the ticket Jodi Rell fears." Interesting.

There are plenty of Lamont supporters in both camps.

1:04

Just heard that the margin could be as little as 25 votes. Voting about to begin. I'll post when I can.

1:17

After the first CD, here's how it stands:

DeStefano 48%
Malloy 52%

1:30

Big swing here. After the second CD, here's how it stands:

DeStefano 52.81 %
Malloy 47.19%

1:31

DeStefano pulling away in the 3rd... 56%-44% DeStefano.

1:36

After the 3rd CD: DeStefano up 606-418 (60%-40%)

1:40

After the 4th CD: DeStefano up 667-652. 50.57%-49.43%.

1:46

It's close. 713-695 DeStefano.

1:53

My final unoffical tally: DeStefano wins 809-796.

But some people can in fact change their votes. Hang on. I'm waiting for a final total.

1:55

There may be some sort of deal in the works involving Waterbury. Second vote coming.

2:43

Scuttlebutt here is that Scott Slifka is DeStefano's LG choice. Nothing official yet.

Challenges to votes are taking a lot of time. This could last a while as each delegation is polled separately.

Challenges in East Haven and Norwich have been upheld. CT-N probably has a better count than me.

2:53

Here's what's happening: the convention has essentially ground to a halt while the votes of various towns, including Norwich, East Haven, Danbury and Waterbury are challenged. When the opportunity for votes to be changed came up, the changes appeared to give Malloy the lead. However, several written challenges emerged, and two of those have been upheld.

At this point, I have no idea who is in the lead.

3:04

The first unofficial count was, in fact, 800-797. I must have missed something along the line somewhere. From what I'm hearing, Waterbury wasn't supposed to go so heavily for Malloy.

The challenge from Danbury has been denied. +1 vote for Malloy.

3:08

While we're waiting... I followed the media horde that was dogging Dan Malloy, who wouldn't really comment other than to say that things were close. It was very difficult to figure out exactly what was being said, because of the media crush.

Chris MC stopped by to say that he believed that Malloy was up by 5 after the votes were changed. There may also be a challenge coming from West Hartford.

3:15

ConnecticutBLOG confirms a West Hartford challenge.

No matter who wins here today, the stage for a close and competitive primary is set. Both sides can claim that the vote was too close to name a clear winner.

There's a car show coming in here at 4:00. This has better hurry up.

3:49

Still waiting for Waterbury. Still waiting... still waiting. There are 41 people in the Waterbury delegation--they may be raking each one over the coals.

3:53

Now Chris MC is saying that Malloy has it--he says he's "99% sure." They are apparently trying to figure out a way to get through the LG stuff as quickly as possible.

There's a guy with a bullhorn out there leading the chant of "We want Dan!"

4:02

Dan Malloy is claiming victory. He just addressed supporters with a bullhorn on the convention floor.

He claims that "we won fair and square" and that he was ahead after the first vote. He seems confident that he has managed to defeat DeStefano. DeStefano is nowhere to be seen.

4:28

The Waterbury delegation's challenge led to an increase of six votes for DeStefano, I believe. That may place things in a tie.

If there's a tie, the state chair would break it.

I got some pretty great pictures, and some video. I'll post all that over the next few days.

There is a challenge to the Hartford delegation's vote. Challenge for Hartford denied, vote was not changed.

Voting now closed.

Results soon.

4:38

Here we go. 1594 delegates voting.
798 necessary.

DeStefano 795
Malloy 799

Malloy wins!

5 comments:

Aldon Hynes said...

The marching band is here!

Aldon Hynes said...

You can hear a little of the band here

(Posted from my cellphone)

Aldon Hynes said...

So far, there have been two written challenges, both of which have been upheld. They are on to their third challenge, this time for the city of Danbury. Waterbury challenge will be dealt with after that.

Some people are talking about how there will be a second vote, but I don't see that happening.

Meanwhile, people are talking about how we need to be out of here by four.

Genghis Conn said...

Keith did, in fact, vote "present."

But it's too late for him to change his vote, even if he wanted to.

Aldon Hynes said...

Lots of chanting, We Want Dan. Not much DeStefano visibility. We are still waiting for the results of the Waterbury challenge, and West Hartford is slated next.

Meanwhile, we are supposed to leave the building in three minutes as the Expo Center prepares for its next show. It appears as if many delegates have already left, and people are saying that Dan will have enough delegates at the end of this round of recounts.

All of the talk about a possible second vote has dried up. Everyone just wants to get home.