TX-23

Still Another Quote of the Day: Bonilla Blames Remapping For His Loss

"They moved the goal post on us further down the field, and we couldn't score again and again."

— Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-TX, quoted in the San Antonio Express-News blaming his defeat on a court-ordered redrawing of his district that increased the population of Dem-leaning Hispanics from 51% to 61%.

TX-23: In Upset, Dem Rodriguez Wins Runoff Over GOP Rep. Bonilla

Former U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez added another House seat to the Dem column last night, knocking off seven-term GOP Rep. Henry Bonilla in a runoff that decided control of Texas' final seat. Though the runoff was triggered by a general election in which neither candidate broke 50 percent, yesterday's contest wasn't even close: With 94 percent of precincts reporting, Rodriguez was leading Ciro 55%-45%, the Associated Press is reporting.

Dems were relishing the Rodriguez victory, because it represented another defeat for the machine created by Tom DeLay. The former Texas GOP Rep. redistricted Texas in 2003, leading to big gains for Republicans in the state, but parts of his redistricting were struck down by the Supreme Court last Spring. The Court's changes put many Latinos back into the 23rd District, helping Rodriguez win.

What's more, national Dem strategists were rewarded for bettting big on the race, spending more than $870,000 to offset Bonilla's big lead in fundraising. And in the campaign's final days, Bill Clinton paid a visit to the district. The victory brings the Dems' pickup in the House to a total of 30 seats.


TX-23: Cuellar Endorses Former Foe Rodriguez

The change in House majority and the upcoming TX-23 runoff between GOP Rep. Henry Bonilla and former Dem Rep. Ciro Rodriguez is turning out to be an opportunity for Rep. Henry Cuellar, who first unseated Rodriguez in the 2004 Democratic primary. A recent article in the San Antonio News-Express explored the efforts of Cuellar to mend any still-broken fences with the incoming majority, including his having raised over $150,000 for the DCCC and indvidual House candidates. Colin Strother, a campaign spokesman for Ceullar, told Election Central that Cuellar and Rodriguez have recently spoken on the phone, and that "the past is the past" between them. Strother told EC that Cuellar has endorsed Rodriguez and is open to campaigning for him in the runoff, but hasn't yet been asked. It would probably be a good idea for Cuellar — who was endorsed by the right-wing Club For Growth in a rematch with Rodriguez earlier this year — to do as much as possible on Rodriguez's behalf in order to patch up any lingering mistrust against himself in the next Congress.

Updates On Still Officially Undecided Races

Here's a rundown of the latest developments in the yet-to-be officially decided House races:

Fl-13: Problems still abound in this district, where about 15 percent of all Sarasota County voters using touch-screen machines didn't register a choice in the Congressional race. Lawyers for Dem Christine Jennings recently complained that GOPer Vern Buchahan is purposely stalling the audit of the voting machines by failing to offer up his an expert to participate in the process. A manual recount is underway, but the audit by the state is Jennings only real chance to successfully contest the election. Paul Kiel has more on this race over at TPMMuckraker.

LA-02: The runoff election between two Democrats, Rep. William Jeffereson and Karen Carter, will occur on Dec. 9.

NC-08: GOP Rep. Robin Hayes' lead over Dem Larry Kissell narrowed to 400 votes Friday after six counties reported official election results. Four more counties still need to report their official results. The Hayes campaign has petitioned for the majority of provisional ballots to be thrown out.

NM-01: Republicans are again claiming victory for Rep. Heather Wilson as the final tally is expected to be finished Friday afternoon.

OH-02: Local boards of elections will begin counting more than 8,200 provisional ballots on Monday. Democrats are complaining that confusion of voter ID laws will cause many votes to not be counted.

OH-15: The final count will be delayed until Nov. 27 because of new rules for counting provisional ballots. About 19,500 absentee and provisional ballots remain to be counted in the district. GOP Rep. Deborah Pryce currently leads Dem Mary Jo Kilroy by 3,536 votes.

TX-23: The runoff election between GOP Rep. Henry Bonilla and Dem Ciro Rodriguez has not been officially scheduled yet, but will occur no sooner than Dec. 12.

WY-AL: Dem Gary Trauner has officially decided against seeking a recount solidifying GOP Rep. Barbara Cubin's victory.

For a complete look at all the results of the midterms, check out TPM's Election Central Scoreboard here.

The Latest On The Last Up-For-Grabs House Races: No One's Conceding

The current Dem pickup stands at 28 House seats, with no losses and 10 races still undecided — and the latest is that no one has conceded their races since late last week. A full rundown of where the outstanding races stand right now after the jump.

Read more »

10 House Races Still Undecided

The current Dem pickup stands at 28 House seats, with no losses and 10 races still undecided. Here's where they are now:


Dem-Leaning:

CT-02: Dem challenger Joe Courtney has declared victory with an 167-vote edge, but the miniscule margin automatically triggers a recount. The 167-vote margin includes absentee and military ballots, but not provisional ballots, which need to be verified before being counted. The recount must be completed by midnight next Wednesday.

GA-12: Incumbent Dem John Barrow leads by less than 1,000 votes, with a recount being likely. Barrow has declared victory. If Dems hold this seat, they will have completely shut out the GOP on House, Senate and governorship pick-ups.

Republican-Leaning:

FL-13: The race for Katherine Harris's open seat is potentially going to the courts. Dem Christine Jennings trails by less than 400 votes, with reports of voting-machine problems.

NC-08: Down by 346 votes, Dem Larry Kissell is calling for a recount in his race against GOP Rep. Robin Hayes, who has already declared victory. Provisional ballots won't be counted until Nov. 17, and the official result will not be certified until Nov. 28. In North Carolina, recounts have traditionally favored the candidate who leads going in.

NM-02: GOP Rep. Heather Wilson leads by 1,395 votes, with provisional and absentee ballots yet to be counted.

OH-02: GOP Rep. Jean Schmidt has declared victory, but Dem Victoria Wulsin is waiting for all provisional ballots to be counted before conceding. Though a Wulsin victory is still a possibility, she seems to be facing a statistical uphill battle.

OH-15: With a lead of 2,835 votes GOP Rep. Deborah Pryce has declared victory, but Dem opponent Mary Jo Kilroy will not concede until some 20,000 uncounted absentee and provisional ballots are tallied, a sum which she feels could tilt the election towards her. Pryce has also announced she will not seek re-election for Chair of the House Republican Conference if she wins.

WA-08: GOP Rep. David Reichert holds a two-point lead over Dem Darcy Burner with three-fifths of the district's ballots now counted. If the final vote count ends with the candidates a half a percentage point or less apart, state law requires a recount.

WY-AL: Dem Gary Trauner, trailing Rep. Barbara Cubin by 970 votes, might request a recount after canvassing is completed. However, his current deficit is a few dozen votes larger than the margin that would provide for a state-paid recount. Cubin has declared victory.

Runoff:

TX-23: GOP Rep. Henry Bonilla fell short of 50 percent, and faces a runoff with former Dem Rep. Ciro Rodriguez

13 House Races Yet To Be Officially Decided

Though the Democrats have conclusively gained control of the House with a pick up of at least 27 seats, 13 races have yet to be officially called by at least two major news sources. Here's why:

Update: CNN and NBC have both called GA-08 for Dem Rep. Jim Marshall and PA-06 for GOP Rep. Jim Gerlach.

Update 2: In PA-08, GOP Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick concedes.

* CT-02: Democrat Joe Courtney leads, but still too close to call, waiting for a recount. A Courtney victory would be another Dem pick up.

* FL-13: GOPer Vern Buchanan declared victory in this race to succeed GOP Rep. Katherine Harris, but Dem Christine Jennings won't concede until a recount, which won't be completed until Nov. 18. Voting problems are suspected to have occurred in the district.

* GA-08: Dem Rep. Jim Marshall leads GOPer Mac Collins by 2,048 votes — outside the 1% recount zone — but the race won't be certified until Friday. Called for Marshall.

* GA-12: Dem Rep. John Barrow declared victory, but it has not been confirmed by GA election officials due to server problems in one county.

* NC-08: GOP Rep. Robin Hayes declared victory, but a recount is expected as he only leads Dem Larry Kissell by 468 votes. A Kissell victory would be a surprise pick up for the Democrats.

* NM-01: No winner declared in this close race where provisional and absentee ballots are still waiting to be counted. A victory by Patricia Madrid would be another pick up for the Dems.

* OH-02: Dem Victoria Wulsin has refused to concede, but GOP Rep. Jean Schmidt leads by slim margin.

* OH-15: Fox News called it for GOP Rep. Deborah Pryce, but Dem Mary Jo Kilroy will not concede, waiting for absentee ballots to be counted.

* PA-06: The Philadelphia Inquirer has called it for GOP Rep. Jim Gerlach, but no other official source has followed suit. Called for Gerlach.

* PA-08: Dem Patrick Murphy declared victory, but GOP Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick refuses to concede. A Murphy victory would be another Dem pick up. Fitzpatrick concedes.

* TX-23: There will be a run-off election between GOP Rep. Henry Bonilla and Dem Ciro Rodriguez because Bonilla failed to win more than 50% of the vote.

* WA-08: GOP Rep. David Reichert leads Dem Darcy Burner, but more than 10,000 absentee ballots still need to be counted.

* WY-AL: Race between GOP Rep. Barbar Cubin and Dem Gary Trauner is too close to call and a recount is expected. A Trauner victory would be another Dem pick up.

TX-23: Another Red State Headache In Texas

Former Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D) plans a challenge to Rep. Henry Bonilla (R) of Texas -- in that very district which was redrawn as less hospitable to the GOP by judges after that recent Texas GOP gerrymandering maneuver was struck down for violating the Voting Rights Act.

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