Accusations of fraud in House race after 28,000-vote lead erased by judge
A New York congressional race came down to a judge personally reviewing individual spoiled ballots, resulting in the Democratic incumbent erasing his nearly 30,000-vote deficit to take a 13-vote lead and declaring victory.
“In NY-22, the Democrat incumbent was trailing by almost 30K on election night,” said Hot Air editor Jazz Shaw on Twitter. “The mail-in ballots got him close. Then a Democrat judge from Syracuse ruled he would personally ‘review’ all of the spoiled ballots that had been rejected. Guess what happened next.”
“The judge miraculously ‘found’ enough ballots that he felt were okay and the incumbent now ‘leads’ by 13 votes,” Shaw continued.
“This process and the integrity of our election are critical to our republic. This judicial review has been fair, open, honest, and transparent, and I remain confident that voters’ voices will be heard,” said Freshmen Rep. Anthony Brindisi of the results. “In January, I will be sworn in and continue to work with both parties and stand up to anyone on behalf of all of New York’s 22nd district.”
Brindisi trailed Republican challenger Claudia Tenney by about 28,000 votes on election night in New York’s 22nd Congressional District but closed that gap over the next few weeks to just 100-200 votes as mail-in ballots were counted.
Despite Tenney’s slim lead, Owego County state Supreme Court Justice Scott DelConte issued an injunction to block election officials certifying the results, setting the stage for Brindisi’s 13 vote lead.
“BREAKING: sources on both Dem & GOP sides confirm that the final counts submitted by all 8 counties in #NY22 to NY Supreme Court Justice Scott DelConte will show Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D) *ahead* of Claudia Tenney (R) by either 12 or 13 votes. Wow,” Cook Political Report editor Dave Wasserman said on Twitter.
But Tenney’s campaign said they were not giving up the fight.
“Brindisi’s premature declaration of victory is further evidence that his team has no interest in ensuring a fair process that preserves the integrity of the election and protects the rights of voters. We will fight to ensure that all and only legal counts are counted — not jump to faulty conclusions,” the Tenney campaign told the New York Post.
That patience paid off Monday, when the Herkimer County Board of Elections revised its final count, netting Tenney 35 votes and putting her in the lead by 12.
With the razor-thin margin swinging back and forth, Wasserman doesn’t expect the result of the race to be finalized anytime soon.
“Whiplash: now it's Claudia Tenney (R) back ahead of Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D) by 12 votes in #NY22 after Herkimer Co. revises its count,” Wasserman said. “Legal fight far from over.”
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