VER, WIK Primary Races Extremely Close; Some Candidates Not Conceding Defeat Yet

Argouth Narrowly Wins Four-Way-Race; Houston With Small Lead Over Pastor; Jepsey And McDougal Too Close To Call

Friday was the scheduled primary election date for newly-formed states Veroche and Wilkonshire. And tonight, some of the races are still too close to call.

In Veroche, Todd Argouth, a Conservative city official from Twin Lakes, has claimed victory in the four-way race for the nomination for governor. Poll results released by the POG Secretary of Elections show Argouth garnered 29.23%, followed by Lake City municipal politician Richard Scholinger with 27.69%, Lake City businessman Steve Leona with 24.62%, and former professional football player Steve Serpino with 18.46%.

Scholinger was favored to win, but intense campaigning from Argouth late in the race reaped extra votes for the Twin Lakes candidate. Despite the early poll results, Scholinger is refusing to concede defeat. Both Leona and Serpino called Mr. Argouth earlier this evening and conceded. Argouth is urging Scholinger to do the same. A spokesman for the Scholinger campaign said in an e-mail statement the campaign will wait until tomorrow to make a concession.

Also in Veroche, Rep. Brent Houston (CON), the nephew of former president Dave Houston, was in a tight race with Rick Pastor, a molecular engineer from the north-side of Lake City. The two were vying for the conservative nomination for the Veroche House position in the December 4th, 2007 general election. Houston was recruited late in the race by the far-right wing of the state party to compete against the self-admitted liberal Pastor. Houston earned 51.11% of the vote, with Pastor getting 48.88%. As of tonight, Pastor had conceded, but has vowed to run as an independent or possibly a Democratic-Reformist.

And in Wilkonshire, two nationalists were running against each other in a contentious race for the party's nomination for governor. State delegate Caroline Jepsey was up against Marcy McDougal, a social agent from the northwestern part of the state. In the beginning stages of the race, Jepsey held a 30 point lead over the lesser-known and under-funded McDougal. But Ms. McDougal closed the gap in the final days of the election, and the latest results show Jepsey barely leading with 50.47% and McDougal with 49.53%. McDougal, however, refused to concede until the results are recounted tomorrow.

The POG Secretary of Elections Office says votes will be re-counted in the morning. Certified results, however, will not be available until two weeks later.