As expected, the recount in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District has confirmed that Congressman Virgil Goode was defeated on Election Day:
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — A recount Wednesday confirmed Democrat Tom Perriello’s narrow victory over Republican U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District.
Goode, a six-term incumbent, picked up 18 votes in the two-day recount, far short of what he needed to reverse the Election Day results. The final margin certified by a three-judge panel was 727 votes.
Democrats were already counting the seat among those they gained on Election Day to increase their majority in the House.
Perriello’s win in the district, which stretches from just north of Charlottesville to the North Carolina border, gives Democrats a 6-5 edge in Virginia’s U.S. House delegation. Republicans previously had an 8-3 advantage. On Election Day, Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Virginia since 1964.
Given the margin of victory, Perriello would be advised to start campaigning for 2010, yesterday.
