Much too close to call

The special election for New York's 20th Congressional District was held today. This is the election to replace Kirsten Gillibrand, the former congresswoman who was appointed to fill Hillary Clinton's Senate seat.

With all precincts reporting, but 6,000 absentee and emergency paper ballots currently under injunction until after a court conference on Monday, Democrat Scott Murphy leads Republican James Tedisco by a mere 65 votes, 77,344 to 77,279.

While I would, of course, have preferred to see a Republican blowout, this is still a pretty significant result. In November, riding the coattails of The Messiah, Gilliland trounced her opponent, 193,651 to 118,031, or 62% to 38%. The media has been reporting that NY-20 is a conservative district and I don't know the state well enough to disagree. But Barack Obama endorsed and actively campaigned for Murphy, and the election is being viewed by many as a sort of referendum on his power with the people. A drop from a 24% margin in November to a virtual tie in March does not say a great deal about the impression he is making on the good citizens of New York.

It may be a while before a final decision comes in this race, but it's already a bit of a slap in the face for The One. With a little luck, it will be the first of many. Every day I mean it more:

I hope he fails.