Open Thread: 11th (Update 7 p.m. – Polls Closed)
By JR Hoeft | Monday, November 1st, 2010 | PoliticsContributors to Bearing Drift will use this thread to update you on what we’re hearing regarding the 11th Congressional District campaign in Virginia between incumbent Democrat Gerry Connolly and Republican Keith Fimian.
Check this post frequently throughout the day for updates.
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Update 7 p.m.: Polls are now closed in Virginia. Check out our live-blog of election results and projections; photos, interviews, speechifying. Don’t forget, when you use the hashtag #vpod your tweet will appear in the liveblog too.
Update at 5:11 p.m. (Brian Schoeneman) - Just spoke to a source close to the campaign – turnout in Western Prince William is extremely high, with some volunteers reporting 3-1 and 4-1 Fimian turnout. Across the rest of the 11th, heavy Republican precincts are turning out in higher numbers than traditionally Democratic precincts. I’ll be heading back out in an hour to close the polls down in Monument.
Update at 5:06 p.m. (Alan Moore) Keith Fimian’s campaign releases the following statement: “Congressman Connolly has teams of union funded ‘Election Observers’ roaming around trying to influence this election. If you see any inappropriate activity, please call my headquarters at 703-651-6529.”
Update at 4:54 p.m. (Josh St. Louis) Another example of high turnout. 1370 people have voted at Oak Mar today. Last year, the total turnout at that precinct was 1585 people.
Update 4:46 p.m. (Josh St. Louis) Hearing reports of BIG turnout. About an hour ago, Fair Oaks already had 350 people show up. The total turnout in Fair Oaks last year was about 400…
Update 4:30 p.m. (Brian Schoeneman): Just got this Tweet from Ben Tribbett at Not Larry Sabato:
Almost every Dem who has worked a poll in #VA11 today is freaking out.
Heading back out at 6 to close the poll down in Monument.
Update 1:42 p.m. (Josh St. Louis): At George Mason University, College Democrats are handing out lit that that has a picture of Sarah Palin and a quote from the Post saying:
“Mr. Fimian is an ideologue with sparse experience with local issues who has embraced much of the Tea Party’s dogma.”
The door hanger was paid for by the DPV
Also at GMU, members of the Socialist party are handing out information about the election. Some of them were talking about how they represent the “spine” of the left.
Update 12:30 p.m. (Alan Moore):
“I just received a report from our Field Director. Turnout is very high in Republican precincts. We need to match that in Democratic
areas.“Please make sure you get to your polling place and vote. I need you to remind your friends and neighbors to get out and vote. Pull your friends out to vote and counter this GOP surge.” -James Walkinshaw, Connolly Campaign manager
Update 12:15 p.m. (From the Fimian Campaign): Fimian greeting voters at the Bull Run Precinct in Gainesville
Update Noon (From the Fimian Campaign): Turnout is strong in Western Prince William County. Also strong in Braddock, Springfield, MT Vernon and Oakton/Waples/Vale.
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Also, please feel free to leave comments with your observations on turnout, campaign shenanigans, and anything else that might cross your mind.
Send your photos and any information you personally don’t want to post to jr@bearingdrift.com.
Be sure to follow our live-blog of the election returns beginning at 7 p.m. You can also add to the live-blog by either following along in the Cover-It Live window or Tweeting using the hashtag “#vpod”.
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About the author
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
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6 Responses to "Open Thread: 11th (Update 7 p.m. – Polls Closed)"
Gerry Connolly gets confronted by angry constituents: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwh7BFfQsOc
Heading to bed so I can be up at the Government Center, Monument’s polling place, at 6 AM to get the signs up and have my folks ready to man the polls.
I put up a quick post over at Common Sense with a more in-depth review of my experience this morning. Check it out here: http://www.novacommonsense.com/2010/11/02/election-day-open-thread-for-nova-aka-democrats-behaving-badly/
UPDATE FROM FIMIAN CAMPAIGN:
Turnout is strong in Western Prince William County. Also strong in Braddock, Springfield, MT Vernon and Oakton/Waples/Vale.
Those are all good signs for Fimian because he needs turnout in those areas to be strong, especially PWC.
I can confirm that turn-out is very strong in Oakton. At 1:30 this afternoon, I was voter 1081 at Oakton High. This precinct only had 1572 voters total in the last mid-term. By the time the after work voters get thru, I suspect that the precinct will be close to the 2778 voters in the 08 presidential election. The voters are motivated!
On the way to vote, I stopped at my favorite New York-style deli for a sandwich. The place was more packed than usual and the owner told me that he thought that it was because of the people coming out at lunchtime to vote.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ProjectVirginia and Bearing Drift, Jen. Jen said: RT @projectvirginia Turnout in W. Prince Wm.extremely high,w/ some volunteers rpting 3-1 & 4-1 for @keithfimian http://ow.ly/33rY8 #va11 [...]
Perhaps it was a good idea that I didn’t hit up Santinis in Oakton today for lunch.
My poling place was more busy than I’ve seen it at any prior election. I normally vote mid-afternoon (leave work and vote). It wasn’t even this busy in 2008 at roughly the same time of the day.
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