Democratic challenger Joe Courtney (A '75) squeaked out 170 votes more than Republican incumbent Rob Simmons in Connecticut's Second Congressional District.
The margin is so close that a recount will likely be called, according to the Associated Press.
Tufts Democrats Vice President Mickey Liebner, among other Tufts Democrats, was canvassing for Courtney in Connecticut on election day.
"All our hard work as an organization really paid off," Leibner said. "We're expecting that we'll win, and it's really rewarding."
Senior Scott Merrick, incumbent Democrat in one of four at-large seats in the republican Coos County, N.H, held his seat in an at-large pool of two other Democrats and four Republicans. One other Democrat picked up a seat: his mother, Evalyn Merrick.
The younger Merrick held his seat with about 15 percent of the vote (the top four vote-getters are awarded a seat).
"This time around, I had the incumbent advantage," he said. "Both tickets were stronger this time than four years ago, so the strategy was different."
"It is nice to be over with it," Merrick said. "I enjoyed campaigning, but now I can get back to work and do other things, like school."
Carl Sciortino (LA '00), who cruised unopposed to victory in the 34th Middlesex District, laid out his goals for his upcoming term.
"The first would be to continue the fight for more funding for public schools; the second item is to make sure that the health care reform legislation is implemented effectively," he said.
Republican Samiyah Diaz (LA '99) was not as lucky in her run for State Senate in Suffolk county's Second District. Despite Diaz's victory in the primary, incumbent Democrat Diane Wilkerson overcame the stigma of tax evasion to beat out Diaz with 71 percent of the vote. Diaz rolled in with 29 percent.
"It's the best race we've had in the past eight years," Diaz told the Daily last night. "We really showed that [Wilkerson] was vulnerable, and people came out in support of my cause. We had a chance for democracy, and the voters' voices were heard."
Wilkerson, the seven-term incumbent, faced an uphill battle after she failed to get the obligatory 300 signatures to qualify for the primary ballot.
- Daily News Department
