Perriello declares victory in congressional race

Tom Perriello used his 745-vote lead over Virgil Goode as the basis for a declaration of victory in their Fifth District congressional race today, though we can almost certainly expect a recount given the relatively small margin between the two candidates.

“I am proud and humbled to be elected as the next congressman from the Fifth District of Virginia,” said Perriello, a Democrat whose victory is a stunning upset in a race that Goode had led by more than 30 points in the polls just two months ago.

The razor-thin margin – more than 316,000 votes were cast in the Fifth District race, and the candidates are separated by just 24 hundredths of a percentage point – is likely to be the subject of a lengthy recount battle over the holidays. But Perriello is not waiting for a resolution to the vote-counting to move ahead with his transition. His campaign announced today that former Fifth District congressman L.F. Payne would lead his transition team.

“We have no time to waste. Today, I am beginning the transition process, so that I’m ready on day one to get our economy back on track and bring jobs back to our communities,” Perriello said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Congressman Goode and his long history of service to the district. As the next congressman, I plan to travel the district and fight for working families in Washington. We need to put partisanship aside and work together to create jobs here at home and turn this economy around,” Perriello said.

  

- Story by Chris Graham

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