Fifth District: Perriello clings to infinitesimally small lead over Goode

Story by Chris Graham
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Wednesday’s canvassing in the Fifth District left Democrat Tom Perriello ahead of Republican incumbent Virgil Goode by a scant 31-vote margin in their congressional race, with a recount certainly looming.

“We are clearly seeing a very close election with vote totals from different counties changing rapidly, and Tom Perriello remains confident that when everyone’s vote is counted he will win this election and move ahead with his agenda for economic revival in the Fifth District. Right now, our focus is on making sure every single vote is counted and every single voice is heard. The results need to be certified and there are provisional ballots that need to be considered. We are confident that people in the Fifth District want change and that we are going to be successful in this election in the end,” Perriello spokesperson Jessica Barba said today.

Perriello had been a heavy underdog in his race against Goode, who had not been seriously challenged for years in the Fifth, which stretches from Albemarle County to Southside to the North Carolina border. Goode led by 34 points in a mid-August poll and by eight points in the final pre-election polling in October.