Despite Projections, Brady Hasn't Given Up Ghost Yet

By Chuck Sudo in News on Nov 5, 2010 1:30PM

Despite trailing Governor Pat Quinn by 19.561 votes, a margin that Quinn said is "insurmountable," State Senator Bill Brady has yet to concede his campaign for Governor. There will be some adjustments on counts in precincts throughout the state and absentee ballots have yet to be counted, but it's impossible that Brady will run the table on those ballots to catch up to Quinn.

So what's Brady waiting for? Only he knows for certain. Brady is set to make "a campaign announcement" at 1:30 p.m. Brady is on record as saying he won't concede until all the ballots have been counted. But most of those ballots are in Cook County, where Quinn has easily bested him.

There is still the possibility that Brady could request a recount. Per the State Board of Elections (via Progress Illinois):

"(O)nce the vote is canvassed, any candidate whose vote total is at least 95 percent of the winner's can request a recount.

"In each county, one quarter of the precincts participates in the recount -- and the candidate requesting the recount picks which ones. However, a recount does not begin until the court deems it necessary. The State Supreme Court appoints a Circuit Court judge to supervise the recount, but state law provides no guidance for a counting method."

Brady's well within that 95th percentile. But if he does force a recount, Brady also runs the risk of being branded as a sore loser.

We'll find out what Brady's next move is this afternoon.