Illinois Gov: My Opponent Wants to Murder Doggies

Though GOP challenger hasn't conceded

(AP) - Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has eked out a narrow win over his Republican challenger. An AP analysis of uncounted votes from absentee and other ballots showed state Sen. Bill Brady won't be able to overcome the 19,400-vote lead Quinn held today with all precincts reporting. (Brady's still not ready to concede, notes the Tribune .) More»

Former Democratic frontrunners gird for Mass.-style rebuke

(NEWSER) - Tomorrow Illinois holds the nation’s first primary for this year’s elections, and some are predicting the populist rage recently displayed in Massachusetts will be on display. “It’s a very angry electorate, a very volatile electorate,” a union official tells Politico . Even within the Democratic primary, frontrunner and State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has seen his lead shrink as opponents have attacked his establishment credentials and involvement in a shaky bank. More»

Republicans poised for huge redistricting advantage

(NEWSER) - Governor’s seats are up for grabs in 37 states today, and Republicans look poised to win loads of them—which could have a profound impact when it comes time to redraw district lines . This Huffington Post tally shows 29 seats held by or leaning toward Republicans, to 16 for Democrats. And Reuters breaks down the key races thusly:

• California: Jerry Brown has pulled decisively ahead of Meg Whitman, thanks in part to this incident . (Check out our full grid on the race here .)
• Florida: When Democrat Alex Sink was running the state pension fund, it took huge losses. When conservative Rick Scott was running the Columbia/HCA hospital chain, it was embroiled in the largest Medicare fraud case in history. The result: Tie game!
• Ohio: Ex-congressman John Kasich is still favored to oust incumbent Democrat Ted Strickland, but Strickland has been gaining ground quickly, bashing Kasich for his work on Wall Street.

Misspelling of Rich Whitney's name to be corrected

(NEWSER) - A certain “Rich Whitey” is running for governor of Illinois—or so the ballots have it. Thousands of electronic voting machines, including about 500 currently being used for early voting, contain a misspelling of Green Party hopeful Rich Whitney’s last name, the AP reports. “We don't have any idea what affect that has had on voters,” said the party’s leader. Election officials said the mistake is being corrected. More»

Parties jockey for positioning ahead of 2012

(NEWSER) - Most of the hyperventilating surrounding the 2010 election has focused on who will control Congress, but Washington seems a lot more interested in who will win the governor races—all 37 of them. Both parties are spending like mad on these races, the New York Times reports, because who wins will be crucial when it comes time to redraw congressional districts next year, an opportunity that comes around only once a decade. More»