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8 House Races Don't Have Winners Yet


WASHINGTON — Eight House races remain without winners after Tuesday's election, with Republican incumbents in tight contests to keep their seats and state officials not rushing to end the dispute.

Rep. Deborah Pryce, a member of the House Republican leadership, is ahead in her central Ohio race by 3,536 votes. In the Columbus, Ohio-area, elections officials are delaying the count of more than 9,000 provisional ballots by one day so it doesn't disrupt the much-vaulted Ohio State-Michigan football game on Nov. 18.

Elections officials in that district will start counting Nov. 19.

Ohio Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt, who called Democratic Rep. John Murtha a coward, is ahead of her challenger by 2,862 votes. Rep. Barbara Cubin, who threatened to slap her wheelchair-bound Libertarian opponent after a debate, is ahead by fewer than a thousand votes in her Wyoming contest.

Of the eight uncalled races, only one — Joe Courtney's challenge to Republican Rep. Rob Simmons in Connecticut — gives a Democratic challenger the lead. In that race, Courtney is ahead by a scant 167 votes. Almost a quarter of a million votes were cast.

In Georgia, first-term Democratic Rep. John Barrow, facing a rematch against former Republican Rep. Max Burns, leads by fewer than 600 votes.

In Washington state, the count in a suburban Seattle district was delayed by heavy flooding, leaving incumbent Republican Rep. Dave Reichert ahead of challenger Darcy Burner three days after voting ended.

Other races that remain undecided include North Carolina Rep. Robin Hayes' campaign against Larry Kissell, separated by 449 votes; and New Mexico Rep. Heather Wilson's race, where Democrat Patricia Madrid trails by about 1,600 votes.