Be sure to check the Countian by the minute on election night, beginning as the results start to roll in at 8 p.m. We'll bring you the latest voter tallies, quotes, notes and video from Election 2008!
When it comes to breaking news, there’s nothing we at the Countian like better than election time. There is rarely bigger breaking news than who will be next in line to manage the county, state and, every other election, the country.
And so, as we did in the primaries – where we went 2-for-2 and came within three points of exactly calling those two wins – and in the spirit of fun, here are a few election-night predictions sure to go wrong (if by some miracle we go 4-for-4, this is being written at 3:51 p.m. on Nov. 3; no cheaters here):
• Lieutenant Governor: Even Bill Lee has been quoted as saying he knows he’s “up against it” in the governor’s race, but we’re not so sure about the lieutenant governorship. A win for Markell, one presumes, should mean a win for insurance commissioner and Democratic candidate Matt Denn, but Republican Sen. Charles Copeland has made a strong case for his candidacy, and his work with the Senate’s education and energy/transit committees can only be seen as a positive, hitting on two of the state’s big future challenges. OUR GUESS? It rarely ever happens, but we’re calling a 51-49 upset for Copeland, giving Delaware its first bipartisan top combo in quite some time.
• U.S. Representative: Upstate Democrats have never really had a big problem with Mike Castle, so to our eyes, this race largely comes down to one question: Will Delawareans prefer a GOP representative with plenty of experience, tenure and pull in the U.S. House, or will newly-registered Democrats just go with their column? We think the former, but with a much-closer score than Castle is used to. OUR GUESS? Castle takes a 52-48 win.
• 41st District Representative: Rep. Greg Hastings has been doing all of the things that a state representative should do, but he simply can’t match Atkins when it comes to being feet-to-the-ground in his district, and a couple of late-game missteps may end up costing him. Atkins’ past is a factor, no doubt, but Countian reporters were already hearing groans at its very mention as early as three months prior to the election. And let’s not forget, even though he probably wouldn’t vote with his new party too often, Atkins’ seat may be the key to Democratic control of the House. OUR GUESS? Atkins takes a 53-47 victory to snatch his old seat back.
And just some quickie guesses in other local races: Jack Markell (governor), John Brady (insurance commissioner), Dave Wilson (35th District Rep.), Joe Booth (37th District Rep.), Gerald Hocker (38th District Rep.), Daniel Short (39th District Rep.), Biff Lee (33rd District Rep.), George Parish (clerk of the peace).
What are your election-night predictions? Drop a comment and let us know below!
See you on Return Day!
