After a very long vote count in Northern California, Tom McClintock is heading to congress.
Butte County took a little longer to come in than we had expected, but it was worth the wait. The count is now complete with the possible exception of a handful of votes in El Dorado County and the election result stands at: McClintock 185,615 and Brown at 183,840.
The lead of 1,775 votes is a margin of victory that puts us well outside the possibility of a recount changing the outcome. To put it in perspective, it is more than twice the margin by which I lost the race for State Controller in 2002.
The numbers came in a little late to hold a press conference today but I expect to have a formal statement at our Congressional transition office in Roseville on Monday.