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Loose Ends: Obamaha
Political Punch — Previous | Main Loose Ends: Obamaha November 05, 2008 10:23 AM He didn't need Nebraska's one electoral vote, because the feared 269-269 electoral tie didn't happen (remember the "Obamaha" strategy?) but the unofficial results have President-elect Barack Obama losing the race for Nebraska's 2nd congressional district by 569 votes. Unofficial results have Sen. John McCain winning 126,303 votes to President-elect Obama's 125,734. But not so fast. The Omaha World-Herald reports that Douglas County election commissioner David Phipps says that "more than 9,000 early votes and provisional ballots still need to be ...

Missouri, North Carolina still out
Ben Smith's Blog — Obama came awfully close to sweeping the battleground states, with some quite amazing numbers in some of them (55% in Nevada!). The only one he's clearly lost is Montana, as well as the late additions of Georgia, West Virginia, and North Dakota. Two states, and one electoral vote, are still out, and it may be days before we have the final map: McCain is up narrowly in Missouri, where Jo Mannies expects a long fight over provisional ballots; North Carolina appears likely, the Observer says, to stay in Obama's camp. They've also got 9,000 early and provisional ballots to count in Omaha, seat of Nebraska's second ...

Obama Likely to Win Omaha Electoral Vote
FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right — So comes word comes from the Omaha World-Herald: Good news for Barack Obama supporters. His odds of bagging an electoral vote in Nebraska grew stronger this morning, with word that 10,000 to 12,000 early ballots and 5,200 provisional ballots are left to count in Douglas County. Obama won about 61 percent of the early votes counted before Tuesday's election. If that percentage holds with the early ballots left to count, Obama stands a strong chance of winning the Omaha-area 2nd Congressional District. Republicans did not concede defeat this morning, but they acknowledged the long odds. John ...

Obama's odds of getting Nebraska electoral vote increase
Democratic Underground Latest Breaking News — ... vote in Nebraska grew stronger this morning, with word that 10,000 to 12,000 early ballots and 5,200 provisional ballots are left to count in Douglas County. Obama won about 61 percent of the early votes counted before Tuesday's election. If that percentage holds with the early ballots left to count, Obama stands a strong chance of winning the Omaha-area 2nd Congressional District. Republicans did not concede defeat this morning, but they acknowledged the long odds. Read more: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835 ...

Obama's chances of getting that Nebraska EV improve
Daily Kos — Call me greedy, but I want that EV. Good news for Barack Obama supporters. His odds of bagging an electoral vote in Nebraska grew stronger this morning, with word that 10,000 to 12,000 early ballots and 5,200 provisional ballots are left to count in Douglas County. Obama won about 61 percent of the early votes counted before Tuesday's election. If that percentage holds with the early ballots left to count, Obama stands a strong chance of winning the Omaha-area 2nd Congressional District. Republicans did not concede defeat this morning, but they acknowledged the long odds. John McCain ...

Could Obama actually win an electoral vote in Nebraska?
The Reaction — By Michael J.W. Stickings Believe it or not, yes (like Maine, Nebraska apportions its electoral votes by congressional district): [Obama's] odds of bagging an electoral vote in Nebraska grew stronger this morning, with word that 10,000 to 12,000 early ballots and 5,200 provisional ballots are left to count in Douglas County. Obama won about 61 percent of the early votes counted before Tuesday's election. If that percentage holds with the early ballots left to count, Obama stands a strong chance of ...

What Remains Uncalled
FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right — In the presidential contest, only Missouri remains uncalled. The single electoral vote in Omaha remains uncalled, but it looks like Obama will win it. Per the Omaha World Herald, "I will remain cautiously hopeful but not cautiously optimistic," said Hal Daub, state director for McCain. "I'm disappointed (in the numbers)." In the Senate, three races remain undecided, and the tally stands at 57-40, in favor of the Democrats, if you include Joe Lieberman. Harry Reid may finally be laying the groundwork to kick Joe to the curb, as the two met today. But that aside, the Georgia race is going to a ...

What Turnout Increase?
The Atlantic Politics Channel — Las Vegas billionaire/Freedom's Watch financier Sheldon Adelson is not having a great week; nemesis Rahm Emanual is having one of his best weeks ever. In Minnesota, Al Franken's vote deficit is 236. John McCain's Nebraska state director all but concedes Nebraska's second congressional district electoral vote to Barack Obama. So turnout, overall, stayed the same as a percentage of those eligible to vote.  Democratic turnout increased by two percent; Republican turnout decreased by one percent; Karl Rove's theory of the electorate vindicated?  Maybe. The distribution of ...

Early Morning Swim: Special Revenge Is A Dish Served Cold Edition
Firedoglake — Reid tells Lieberman: no gavels for you. A traitor among us. Only option? Joe gotta go. Sign the petition. Team McCain hits again. Team Sarah fires back. President-elect Obama ...

Obama Likely to Pick Up Another Electoral Vote
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire — Barack Obama's "odds of bagging an electoral vote in Nebraska grew stronger with word that 10,000 to 12,000 early ballots and 5,200 provisional ballots are left to count," according to the Omaha World Herald ...

Could Obama Actually Win an Electoral Vote in Nebraska?
The Moderate Voice — Believe it or not, yes (like Maine, Nebraska apportions its electoral votes by congressional district): [Obama’s] odds of bagging an electoral vote in Nebraska grew stronger this morning, with word that 10,000 to 12,000 early ballots and 5,200 provisional ballots are left to count in Douglas County. Obama won about 61 percent of the early votes counted before Tuesday’s election. If that percentage holds with the early ballots left to count, Obama stands a strong chance of winning the Omaha-area 2nd Congressional District. ...

Waiting for Nebraska
The Caucus — ... congressional districts, the second C.D., is still counting, partly because they had so many early votes. The district is made up of the primarily urban Douglas County, which drew about 75 percent of the votes, with the rest of the district including the more suburban Sarpy County. Officials were counting the remaining early votes, about 10,000 ballots, today. If Mr. Obama wins the remaining early votes — he has already won 61 percent of the ones already counted — it could be a good indication that he will pick up the states last electoral college vote. If he does, it will ...

One More!
Talking Points Memo — The Omaha World-Herald is calling the electoral vote of Nebraska's 2nd congressional district for Obama. That would appear to make the total 365.

Breaking News: Obama wins electoral vote in Nebraska
Democratic Underground Latest Breaking News — ... vote in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District — the first time in more than four decades a Democrat won any of Nebraska’s electoral votes. The Omaha World-Herald is calling the race after Obama won 8,434 out of 15,039 early votes that arrived too late to be included in Tuesday’s results. They were counted today by Douglas County election officials. [image] Barack Obama Those ballots give Obama a 1,260-vote lead over Republican John McCain in the 2nd District. Read more: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835 ...

Obama win single Nebraska electoral vote
Daily Kos — Nice! Barack Obama made history today in Nebraska. The Democratic presidential candidate claimed an electoral vote in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District — the first time in more than four decades a Democrat won any of Nebraska’s electoral votes. The Omaha World-Herald is calling the race after Obama won 8,434 out of 15,039 early votes that arrived too late to be included in Tuesday’s results. They were counted today by Douglas County election officials. Those ballots give Obama a 1,260-vote lead over Republican John McCain in the 2nd District. It also added one ...

Obama Wins Omaha, NE Electoral Vote; Final Tally Looks to be 365-173
FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right — The Omaha World-Herald and several other news organizations have called Nebraska's Second Congressional District, which incorporates Omaha and some of its suburbs and exurbs, for President-Elect Barack Obama. The only outstanding electoral votes are now in Missouri, which some organizations have yet to call for John McCain. It appears to us, however, that there are an insufficient number of provisional ballots to provide Barack Obama with a realistic opportunity to win there, and so we are calling that state for John McCain for the time being. This brings Obama's haul from Tuesday evening to 365 electoral votes, a similar ...

Obama Gets 'Husker Breakthrough
The Page by Mark Halperin — Wins Nebraska electoral vote.      

Make That 365: Obama on Track to Pick Up Nebraska Electoral Vote
44 — Election Day Make That 365: Obama on Track to Pick Up Nebraska Electoral Vote By Garance Franke-Ruta President-elect Barack Obama appears likely to add one more electoral vote to his already decisive total, thanks to a passel of outstanding ballots that were counted today in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District ...

Remainders: Lightning and thunder
Ben Smith's Blog — Lady de Rothschild sides with Palin.  Obama malware! The Arab world isn't especially happy about Rahm's ascendance. The World-Herald calls Omaha for Obama. Phil Singer warns Democrats: The 2010 campaign has already begun. "Barack" and "Rahm" mean "lightning" and "thunder" in Hebrew. Four years ago, Jan Schakowsky told Bush to remember Obama's name after he saw a button and initially confused it for "Osama." Remember Obama's bowling score? Wil Haygood has a piece on a White ...

Obama Makes History in Nebraska , Wins One Electoral Vote
TalkLeft —

Puttin' Up & Shuttin' Up
Rising Hegemon — So last week, we made some predictions. And now that all the votes are in, we're left with a final (okay, provisional) electoral tally as follows: Barack Obama: 365 John McCain: 175 So won won -- and what, more importantly, did they win? Well, no one guessed 365, but a couple of you guessed 364. Attaturk was in for 364. Unfortunately, whether out of sheer laziness or an assumption that we could read his mind. he failed to provide a breakout of states to get him to said 364, so he's out. racymind was also in for 364, specifing "Kerry states + ...

And the Election Geeks Rejoiced
PoliBlog: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts — Via the Omaha World-Herald: Obama wins electoral vote in Nebraska Democrat Barack Obama won the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District on Friday, scooping up one of the state’s five electoral votes. In the process, he made history and shone the spotlight on Nebraska’s unusual electoral college system. [...] Obama’s win will assuredly spark interest in the split electoral system, which only Nebraska and Maine use. All other states are winner-take-all on electoral votes. [...] ...

Happy and Sad News
Booman Tribune — Some cool news out of Nebraska...Barack Obama has won the 2nd District centered in Omaha an will be awarded one of Nebraska's five Electoral Votes. That brings his total up to 365, with Missouri still in the toss-up category. The maximum total Obama could get is now 376 Electoral Votes. Not too shabby. In other news, Frank Kratovil has defeated Club-for-Growth candidate Andy Harris in Maryland's First District. And Tom Perriello has defeated the anti-Muslim bigot Virgil Goode in Virginia's Fifth District. Kratovil is tough prosecutor that will caucus with the Blue Dogs. Perriello is likely to give us happier results. ...

Make that 365
Political Animal — MAKE THAT 365.... Not that it has any practical effect on the election, but it appears Barack Obama has picked up one more electoral vote, this time from Nebraska. Nebraska's second congressional district had been too close to call Tuesday night. But a count of 15,396 early voting ballots in Douglas Country gave Senator Barack Obama a 1,260-vote lead over Senator John McCain. About 75 percent of the votes in the district come from Douglas, the mostly urban county around Omaha, and the rest come from suburban Sarpy County. Although as many as 5,300 provisional ballots remain in Douglas County and 801 provisional ballots remain in Sarpy ...

Make that 365 electoral votes for the winner
AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth — Obama won an electoral vote in Nebraska. Only Maine and Nebraska apportion electoral votes by Congressional District. And, this is the first time it's happened.

Obama Keeps on Winning
Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines — Two states, Nebraska and Maine, split their electoral votes by congressional district, but they’ve never had reason to—until now. Barack Obama won one of Nebraska’s five electoral votes, according to the Omaha World-Herald. That brings his total to 365. Omaha ...

Sour Grapes In Nebraska
Open Left - Front Page — So imagine you're a state that has given its electoral college votes to Republican candidates in every election except for the very biggest Democratic landslides, and has done so for 11 straight elections.  But you have this very cute provision, whereby some of your state's electoral college votes can be peeled off, if the other party manages to win in any of the state's federal congressional districts.  Now of course, this has never happened since the rule was put in place, so it was just a bit of cute trivia for election geeks to blather about, but no one expected it to actually happen. ...

The Obama Strategy
PoliGazette — Ignore for a second that this was a bad year for Republicans, anyway.  Many people thought (myself included) that this would be a much closer election than it was.  I predicted 292 EVs for Obama.  Currently, he stands at 364 officially, and perhaps 365 when all is said and done.  Clearly it was a bigger result for Obama than some expected.  So how did he do it? There are perhaps many explanations, but I’ll pick just two for this article.  First, I think he and his team were able to create an amazing Internet presence.  Second, he was able to campaign where John McCain couldn’t. ...