Ken Buck Concedes and Congratulates Bennet

By Jeralyn, Section Elections
Posted on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 05:57:56 PM EST
Tags: Ken Buck, Michael Bennet (all tags)

Share This: Digg!

When Sen. Michael Bennet held his victory rally earlier, one thing was missing: a concession from challenger Ken Buck. Buck issued this statement this afternoon.

Buck said that while the final margin in the race is very small, Colorado voters have spoken and he wishes Senator Bennet well.

Buck said, “my Senate campaign has been the experience of a lifetime. I will be forever grateful to the thousands of Coloradans who helped make this grassroots journey possible.”

CBS calls the win "razor-thin", but I don't think it is. Last night at 12:45 am, the candidates were 5-6,000 votes apart. At times last night they were 4,000 votes apart. That was razor-thin. Today, with 97% of the vote in, Bennet leads by 15,000 votes, large enough to avoid an automatic recount. It's not a big win, but it's a clear one.

At least CBS acknowledges the Tea Party had a rough night in senate races. [More...]

Buck's apparent loss is a blow for the Tea Party movement, which on the Senate side had a rough night last night.

But I think CBS is wrong to lump Buck in with Christine O'Donnell and suggest he wasn't a strong candidate.

There are now three Tea Party-backed candidates - Buck, Nevada's Sharron Angle and Delaware's Christine O'Donnell - who lost in seats that Republicans might plausible have won with stronger candidates.

Ken Buck is not a cartoon like Christine O'Donnell. He's Republican mainstream, an elected District Attorney and former federal prosecutor. His views are typical of Republicans. The point is not that Republicans could have won with a different candidate, but that tea-party backing failed to bring home the bacon.

Democrats will have at least 52 Senate seats in January. Washington and Alaska remain unknown.

< Wednesday Afternoon Open Thread | Tea Party Backed Candidates Only Won 32% of Races >

Legal

Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. TalkLeft does not give legal advice.

TalkLeft is not responsible for and often disagrees with material posted in the comments section. Read at your own risk.

Ken Buck Concedes and Congratulates Bennet | 16 comments (16 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

This has to be the most satisfying save (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by andgarden on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 06:50:28 PM EST

of the night.

The most disappointing loss is a tie between Feingold and Sestak. Feingold stings less because I think he did himself in with a bad campaign. Sestak did almost everything right and still lost.

My favorite senate election stat: (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by scribe on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 07:37:57 PM EST

You remember Alvin Greene, the unemployed black guy running against DeMint in SC, who many thought was a Republican plant because he was such a caricature?

He got more votes (361,912) than did Blanche Lincoln (279,379).

I guess that makes her the joke.

I would bank on Washington (none / 0) (#1)
by andgarden on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 05:58:49 PM EST

So, 53.

So, not much changed with (none / 0) (#4)
by KeysDan on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 06:29:54 PM EST

regard to confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee? I think it is a simple majority (5l %) of those voting. A filibuster would put it at 60, not much different in number, put possibly the odds of a filibuster are greater now. If a filibuster on a qualified nominee occurs, hopefully Senator Reid would make them read the phone book.


Reid? (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by weltec2 on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 06:47:26 PM EST

Not likely. I am so sick of Reid crumbling under any hint of Republican pressure...


Good news - bad news of 2010 Senate wins (5.00 / 2) (#10)
by MO Blue on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 07:15:05 PM EST

Good news - Reid won

Bad news - Reid won


Mixed family emotions: (none / 0) (#14)
by KeysDan on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 08:15:19 PM EST

Harry Reid re-elected senator; son, Rory, defeated in governor's race by Brian Sandoval.


: Mixed emotions on my part (5.00 / 2) (#16)
by MO Blue on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 09:37:59 PM EST

have to do with the fact that Harry winning helped the Dems maintain their majority in the Senate but also means that Harry will remain the Majority leader there.

You think Ginsburg will hang it up? (none / 0) (#11)
by andgarden on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 07:30:12 PM EST

Otherwise, I don't see who's leaving.


Not anticipating any (none / 0) (#13)
by KeysDan on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 08:01:38 PM EST

imminent vacancies, and, sure hope that Justice Ginsburg stays for a very long time. But, the possibility of a vacancy always exists. Hey, maybe Ginni and her anonymous financiers of Liberty Central will coax Clarence to run for president, thereby creating an opening.


: That would be pretty amazing (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by andgarden on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 08:49:01 PM EST

Almost too good to be true.

Jeralyn (none / 0) (#2)
by Ga6thDem on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 06:21:23 PM EST

what on earth happened to all the evangelicals in the big box churches in CO? It seems they were running the state for quite a few years and I'm kind of surprised that Bennett did pull it out with that demographic. Maybe we can hope that they are withdrawing from politics?

: Latinos (none / 0) (#3)
by MKS on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 06:23:43 PM EST

voting more. And GOTV in Colorado is strong.

bennet (none / 0) (#5)
by jharp on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 06:33:59 PM EST

Damn. I thought Bennet had lost.

I've kind of been out of the loop.

Good show Colorado.

Views of the typical Republican (none / 0) (#8)
by MKS on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 06:54:04 PM EST

As BTD would say the typical Republican is an extremist....Buck fit right in...

Carly finally gave it up today also (none / 0) (#9)
by nycstray on Wed Nov 03, 2010 at 07:01:58 PM EST

not nearly as tight a race.

Congrats to CO. on Sen B!