Five days after the election, voters are still scratching their heads about who's won the Fifth District congressional seat.
As it stands right now, according to the State Board of Elections, 745 votes separate Democrat Tom Perriello ahead of incumbent Republican Virgil Goode. And a recount is looming.
Perriello already claimed victory, but Goode refuses to concede the race.
Now many voters want to know how a political newcomer like Perriello could shake up the district so much to give the six-term Republican such a challenge.
James Menefee was a longtime Goode supporter. "All the other times I've voted for him," Menefee said.
But not this time. This time Menefee cast his vote for Perriello. "Just for a change, you know?" Menefee said when asked about the switch. "Everything that's going on, you know?"
Perriello, who's never run for office until this year, says voters like Menefee helped him lock up the election. "I think this was a great victory for a new kind of politics that really leaves behind some of the divisiveness and personal politics of the past," Perriello said.
"I think the voters made that decision. I think they saw a positive campaign from us, a substantive campaign."
But Goode disagrees. "I think a lot were happy with me," Goode said.
The six-term Republican claims support for Perriello came from high-powered Democratic donors who altered the election. "What you saw was a huge amount of money spent distorting the record," Goode said.
Goode says his opponent spent $3 million more on the campaign. "We were considerably outspent. 'Lotta New York money poured in here," Goode said.
Now the challenge for whomever wins is uniting all the voters, no matter what campaign they supported.
Goode's campaign says it's far too early for the congressman to concede the race.
A decision about whether he'll seek a recount could come by the time the results are certified on November 24.
Reported by Adam Rhew
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