Donnelly to formally seek recount
State Rep. Margaret Donnelly, the Democratic runner-up in that party’s photo-finish primary contest Aug. 5 for Missouri attorney general, today announced that she’ll definitely seek a recount.
Donnelly, of Richmond Heights, lost to state Sen. Chris Koster, D-Raymore, by 794 votes out of roughly 346,000 votes cast. Koster’s victory percentage is 0.2 percent.
The results are still unofficial until they are certified by the Secretary of State’s office, which must be completed in the next few weeks.
Said Donnelly’s release: “With the smallest margin in a statewide race in Missouri history, a one-vote swing in as few as 25% of the precincts in the state would result in a Donnelly victory.
“ ‘Voting is the heart of the democratic process, and we are pursuing a recount as that is the fairest way possible to make sure the people’s voice through the election is most accurately heard,’ Donnelly said. ‘I have received encouragement to pursue the recount from an overwhelming number of Democratic primary voters. At this stage the recount becomes a legal procedure.’ ”
She has hired the Kansas City law firm of Lathrop & Gage L.C., an interesting choice since the firm has close ties to Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican.
Donnelly said that lawyer Richard Rhyne of the firm’s Kansas City office “has served as chair of the Donnelly for Attorney General Greater Kansas City-Area Steering Committee, and has handled election recount matters in his legal practice.
“Lathrop & Gage has handled election recounts like this many times before,” Donnelly said.
Koster issued a statement saying he had no objections (and likely expected the recount):
“Representative Donnelly and her supporters ran a tremendous race. It is within her right to verify the election’s results. We remain confident that our campaign is on the path to victory in November, and I will continue to travel to every corner of Missouri to talk about my law enforcement experience and the issues that matter most to working families.”
Every step that Harris and Donnelly have made in this race is true to their mantra: “What would Gibbons want us to do?”
Taylor, you need to pull your head out of the donkey’s…. all though you are right the Dems need to learn how to win an election with a Democrat not a phoney!!! Why would any true Democrat vote for a candidate that makes the statement… “If the republican party had a moderate wing I would not have made the switch”?
Get your head out of the clouds. The guy is an ambitous phoney!! Dems, don’t be fooled again.
Don’t sell the r’s short… they are going to have a field day with the imposter.
Working for Koster for six months after he became the Cass County Prosecutor was enough for me. I left my job because it was more important to me to work for someone who not only knew that a word such as “ethics” existed but also knew how to embrace the concept. Now what was it that made me feel that rules of behavior or a moral code mattered only to Chris after his own agenda was strongly in place? Let’s see, the fact that he broke up his marriage engagement at the 9th hour…(No matter, he did end up married to someone with possibly more money),the fact that he was clueless about criminal law when he took office but hey his charm got him into office (nice smile). It would be negligent of me at this point not to mention that his opponent in his first bid to the Cass County Prosecutor’s Office had a telegraphic memory, knew criminal law inside and out and yes he was a very ethical individual. Did I mention that Chris’s narcissistic attitude contaminated the entire office? As I sit here writing this I am reminded of the song, “Blinded by the Light” by Bruce Springsteen. Is it the smile, boyish looks, charisma, or all three that make him competent enough to be the Democratic nominee for Missouri attorney general. People Wake Up!!!