Nov 5, 2008 6:28 pm US/Eastern
1st District Congressional Still Too Close To Call
GRASONVILLE, Md. (WJZ) ―
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The 1st District Congressional seat in Maryland is still open, one day after Election Day.
The 1st District Congressional seat in Maryland is still open one day after Election Day.
Mike Hellgren reports the two candidates vying for the seat are still fighting it out one day after Election Day.
Frank Kratovil and Andy Harris are the center of a heated and long-anticipated race with national implications. With 100% of precincts reporting, it is still essentially tied. Kratovil has 49% of the vote to Harris' 49%. Kratovil has 160,780 votes and Harris has 159,787.
The tight race for Maryland's only open seat in the U.S. House of Representatives may be decided by absentee ballots Thursday or Friday.
Harris released a statement about the results on Wednesday afternoon.
"My parents immigrated to the United States to flee Communism with the hope of a better life for themselves and their children. Their experience taught me early on to believe in and trust the democratic process in America, where we have a fair and just system of laws in place to make sure every vote cast is counted fairly.
"I will work with the County Boards of Elections and Mr. Kratovil's campaign to make sure that we come to a conclusion quickly, so that we can get back to work for the people of the First District. I have complete confidence in our election system and the men and women responsible for making sure that the process of counting each vote is fair and straightforward."
Both Democrat Frank Kratovil and Republican Andy Harris hit the polls early Tuesday morning fighting for every single vote.
"The response we've received in all the places we've been has been very positive, so I feel good. I'm cautiously optimistic," said Kratovil.
"Washington, D.C. could be very, very different if they don't get out and vote today, and I think they're going to come out and vote, like I say, for the folks that are going to get them out of this recession," said Harris.
Constant and often negative television ads have marred their battle.
Kratovil has the support of Congressman Wayne Gilchrest who lost the primary election to Harris. He's closed a once huge gap in the polls.
"I knew it was going to be a tough race. I've been a bit surprised by the nature of some of the ads my opponent has run. I believe they clearly cross the line," said Kratovil.
Harris won the Republican primary by 10 points and has relied on the endorsement of former governor Robert Ehrlich, who is very popular in the district. He says his conservative views are better a fit with voters there.
"They want someone to go to Washington who's going to cut their taxes, who is going to stop the wasteful government spending in Washington. There's only one candidate in that race that's going to do that," said Harris.
The district is made up of parts of Harford, Baltimore, and Anne Arundel counties as well as the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but the western shore voters could give Harris a critical boost. Some analysts say the real turning point in this election could be Cecil County where there are about 60,000 votes up for grabs.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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