TRENTON — The 6th District Republican congressional primary is headed to a recount. With the last provisional ballots counted in Monmouth County, Highlands Mayor Anna Little today slightly expanded her lead over rival Diane Gooch by four votes – 6,804 to 6,720. But Gooch is not conceding, and her campaign officials said today they will definitely seek a recount....
Diane Gooch, left, and Anna Little, both running for the Republican nomination in the sixth congressional district. TRENTON — The 6th District Republican congressional primary is headed to a recount.
With the last provisional ballots counted in Monmouth County, Highlands Mayor Anna Little today slightly expanded her lead over rival Diane Gooch by four votes – 6,804 to 6,720. But Gooch is not conceding, and her campaign officials said today they will definitely seek a recount.
“A recount is the only legal mechanism we have to secure confidence in the result, ensuring that no errors in the tabulation of votes have taken place,” said Gooch Campaign Manager Tony Sayegh. “There are also some specific concerns we have about the treatment of Vote By Mail ballot requests, the security and custody of election materials, and electronic data cartridges arriving with error messages that must be investigated further. This will be done as expeditiously as possible; we look forward to determining a winner in the near future.”
Little, a tea party-backed candidate who raised one-twentieth the amount of campaign funds Gooch did, doubted Gooch could overcome the 84 vote deficit when most were recorded on electronic machines.
“She has the right to do that,” she said. “I don’t believe it’s going to change anything.”
W. Timothy Howes, an attorney representing Gooch, said he was not sure when the campaign would file for the recount but that it would be soon. Recounts, Howes said, sometimes expose irregularities that can be challenged in court.
“Misfeasance, malfeasance or even an innocent mistakes. Those are the kinds of things that wind up being decided by a superior court judge, usually after a recount,” he said.
Previous coverage:
• Congressional primary race between Gooch, Little may head to a recount
• Diane Gooch seeks vote recount after close call in GOP 6th District primary race
• Diane Gooch refuses to concede, wants every vote counted in GOP 6th District primary vs. Anna Little
• Vote count continues in tight 6th district congressional primary race