Rep. Allen West challenger declares victory - again - after missed certification deadline
Florida Republican Rep. Allen West's Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy declared victory - again - in the tight-locked House race today after the St. Lucie County canvassing board missed its noon deadline to certify recount results, according to the Palm Beach Post.
Florida law states that if the deadline to certify final results to the state Division of Elections passes, the unofficial certified results stand. Those counts, submitted last Sunday, show Murphy ahead by 0.58 percent, just above the 0.5 percent spread that would trigger an automatic recount.
Murphy has already declared victory once, and is in Washington, D.C., for freshman orientation. In a prepared statement shortly after noon, his campaign manager Anthony Kusich said: "It is beyond time to put this campaign behind us and put the interests of the people on the Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches first."
West's campaign, though, is calling for an emergency hearing over "concerns" raised during the recount process, including results showing that 900 votes were cast in precinct 93, where there are only seven voters registered.
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