Alaska Senate Results 2014: GOP Dan Sullivan Leads with 100 Percent Precincts In, Democrat Incumbent Mark Begich Not Conceding
The Republican Party might be gaining a Republican seat as the Alaskan U.S. Senate race could go in the GOP's favor.
Democratic incumbent Mark Begich has yet to concede in the state's senate race despite Republican candidate Dan Sullivan receiving more votes and 100 percent of the precincts reporting. According to the Alaska Division of Elections, Sullivan received 48.74 percent to Begich's 45.13 percent as of Nov. 5. Libertarian candidate Mark Fish received 3.70 percent. Ted Gianoutsos, who ran with no party affiliation, received 1.99 percent of the vote, while 0.45 percent went toward write-in candidates.
Despite Sullivan's lead, Begich has not conceded. According to Begich Campaign Manager Susanne Fleek-Green on Wednesday, "tens of thousands" have yet to be counted by Alaska's Division of Elections.
"Inspired by stories of village elders being lifted onto four wheelers to go vote and Alaskans traveling up and down river to cast their ballots, Alaskans for Begich is anxious for a final count of all of Alaskans' ballots and respects the procedures, process and timetable of the Alaska Division of Elections," Fleek-Green said.
The Associated Press noted a "large number" of ballots have yet to be counted. Election officials have also said approximately 24,000 early and absentee votes won't be counted until Nov. 11.
Begich has told supporters, "It might be a week from now, two weeks from now, but we will be victorious."
"Begich will make a statement on the race after counts arrive from the seventy outstanding villages and when the number of outstanding absentee and questioned ballots is clear," Fleek-Green said in a statement, via the AP.
The spending for the Alaska senate race was higher than fellow competitive contests in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Georgia and Kentucky.
According to the Alaska Dispatch News, $57 million was spent for the U.S. Senate race with $40 million coming from outside groups unaffiliated with the candidates. The spending for the Alaska senate race was higher than fellow competitive contests in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Georgia and Kentucky.
As Latin Post reported, polling figures have had Sullivan narrowly ahead of the three other candidates. Based on a Public Policy Poll, Sullivan led by 1-percentage point from Begich with 46 percent to 45 percent, respectively.
As of Election Day on Tuesday night, the Republican Party gained six senate seats and are now in the majority in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
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