Open Thread: Virginia Attorney General Election Cliffhanger Coming to Its Climax?

I’m going to use this thread to update on the latest in the Virginia Attorney General’s race cliffhanger. Right now, on the State Board of Elections website, Mark Obenshain leads Mark Herring by 1,262 votes, but that’s going to change big time shortly. Check out the following tweets.

*Brian W. Schoeneman ‏@BrianSchoeneman 18m “We will have an official statement out here shortly.  Changes for AGs race in 8th District CAP:  Herring 5137, Obenshain 2039, 10 WI” (Note: Schoeneman is a Republican member of the Fairfax County Board of Elections)

*Ben Tribbett ‏@notlarrysabato 28m @Redistrict “Fairfax counts at 2 pm”

*Ben Tribbett ‏@notlarrysabato 1h “Without a big change- the #7cornerssurprise seems to be decisive and when all ballots are counted today @SenMarkHerring should narrowly lead”

*Dave Wasserman ‏@Redistrict 1h “In fact, all 10 of Obenshain’s top margin counties have finished counting provisionals. Bad news for R’s.”

*Dave Wasserman ‏@Redistrict 1h “4 of the 5 localities that gave Herring (D) his biggest margin have yet to report their provisionals. All 5 of Obenshain (R)’s already have.”

In more good news, Arlington, Virginia, Voter Registration and Electoral Board writes, “Virginia State Board of Elections has not refreshed their website yet to show Arlington’s provisional totals, entered about 6 pm Friday. Here’s what everyone wants to know: Herring 59, Obenshain 21.”

Looking very good right now for Mark Herring and a Democratic statewide sweep in this year’s Virginia elections (pending challenges, recount, unexpected developments, etc., of course)! 🙂  Also, great work by the following: 1) Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report; 2) the Gerry Connolly political team; 3) Ben “Not Larry Sabato” Tribbett; and 4) the Mark Herring for AG campaign. In contrast, the corporate media has been almost (or completely) AWOL on this one. Another nail in its coffin…

UPDATE 1:14 pm: ‏@DakHardwick of the Alexandria Dems tweets, “The #Alexandria Electoral Board beginning to count accepted provisional ballots at this time. Will know numbers soon.” And  ‏@Redistrict (Dave Wasserman) tweets, “Now that we’ve resolved #7CornersSurprise and #bedfordblast, big mystery is now the #ShockoeSlipUp in Richmond #vaag”

UPDATE 1:42 pm: @notlarrysabato tweets, “Still at Obenshain 1,103,356. Herring 1,103,274.   Waiting for Fairfax, and a few others.”

UPDATE 2:58 pm: See this article (“A last-minute change means Fairfax County voters who cast provisional ballots may face troubles getting them counted.”) and note that both the chair and vice chair of the Virginia State Board of Elections are both Bob McDonnell appointees (the chair being a long-time Republican political operative). Hmmmmmmm. Although the vice chair, Kimberly Bowers, was deputy finance director for the O’Malley-Brown campaign and “a fundraiser for Harris Miller in his unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.”

UPDATE 3:36 pm: @notlarrysabato tweeted, “Updated count with Norfolk included Obenshain 1,103,366, Herring 1,103,309.” My understanding is that this does not include Fairfax provisionals, Alexandria provisionals, god knows what else (e.g., Norfolk, Richmond provisionals?)…

UPDATE 3:51 pm: @DakHardwick tweets, “Provisional ballot count in #Alexandria complete: Herring 53, Obenshain 29. Net gain of 24 for @SenMarkHerring.” Wait, it’s changed again – “Susan Bulkley Kellom Correction — Obenshain only got 24 — net gain is 29.”

UPDATE 5:25 pm: @notlarrysabato tweets, “15-4 herring with richmond provisionals.  Newest statewide count 1,103,399 for Obenshain, 1,103,377 for Herring.  22 votes.”

UPDATE 5:39 pm: ‏@notlarrysabato tweets, “New update. Obenshain 1,103,417. Herring 1,103,402. 15 votes margin.”