Halitz loses hand recount, will run as Independent

DEROSA, East Deschire -- Conservative Sen. Denna Halitz has lost a hand recount in her Senate primary race.

East Deschire Secretary of State Jenny Sinderman today certified the results of the recount, which was conducted at the request of Halitz, after she lost an earlier machine recount to challenger Nancy Lindselli.

The final tally from the hand recount - which will be the official vote tally - has Lindselli winning with 50.44% or 186,991, and Halitz ending with 49.56% or 183,714.

Sinderman certified the results today, and reiterated her confidence in the outcome of the hand recount.

"I'm confident the final count from the hand recount is accurate," said Sinderman.

The hand recount was requested by Halitz, who initially was declared the winner a week after primary election day, drawing 50.5% to Nancy Lindselli's 49.5%.

After the original count, Lindselli, a former senator, requested and paid for a machine recount, which found her to be the winner, by a margin of 50.3% to 49.7%.

A desperate Halitz then requested - and also paid for - a more in-depth hand recount, which is considered a more accurate method of counting than a machine.

Last week, Lindselli was found to be the winner of the hand recount, having gained a small amount of votes.

Denna Halitz spent the last week considering her options - either concede and accept defeat, or launch an uphill Independent campaign for the Senate.

Today, the incumbent, who is seeking a second term, announced she will run as an Independent in the fall general election.

"Now is not the time for surrender. I have a vision for this state, for this country, and I intend to show the people of East Deschire over the next three months why they should send me back to the Senate, and why my opponent's partisanship and divisive ideological warfare is not right for East Deschire," said Halitz, referring to Lindselli's hard-hitting political style.

During her news conference, Halitz did not mention her NAT opponent, Assemblywoman Donna Rae Cobb (who represents the Hansboro-based seat of Forkwich), by name.

"East Deschireans deserve to have a choice in this election, and the choices couldn't be more clear. On the one side, we have a radical, bitter partisan, whose only goal is to go to Mavocke and give fiery speeches, trash-talk President Menuhaeo and oppose every bill from the Nationalists out of spite.

"On the other side, we have the exact opposite. We have someone who will rubber stamp everything President Menuhaeo and the Nationalists propose," said Halitz, referring to Cobb.

"And now I'm giving the voters a third choice. A proven conservative who loves East Deschire and will vote for what's right for East Deschire. I won't be an automatic 'no' vote and I won't be an automatic 'yes' vote. I won't obstruct the president, but I won't rubber stamp everything he wants either. I will vote for what's right for this state. I will oppose President Menuhaeo when he's wrong, and I'll back him up when he's right. But I won't demonize him and call him names and vote no just to be a thorn in his side. That's not the type behavior we need in a senator. We need someone who's compassionate, thoughtful, objective, professional, respectful to their colleagues, open-minded, and someone who's willing to partner with the other side if it means getting things done," said Halitz.

She continued: "I am here today to announce that I will continue my campaign for the Senate as an Independent. I accept the results of the multiple vote counts, and I accept that I have lost the nomination of the Conservative party. But I do not believe I have lost the support of Conservatives. I still have a vision, I still have a strategy to fight for East Deschire, and I believe now is the time to rise to the challenge rather than back down and let partisan politics win.

"This won't be an easy campaign. It will be very difficult. I will have two opponents to focus on, and neither one of them is overly fond of me. But I will spend these next few months showing the people of East Deschire why they should send me back to Mavocke. And I intend to make my case to the voters."

Halitz's Independent bid will not be easy. Third party candidates have a mixed record of winning state-wide elections, although there have been recent exceptions.

Sen. Niles Gilcrest lost his primary race in 2010 to a more conservative opponent, but continued in the campaign as an Independent and won re-election in a three-way race.

Also in 2010, George Reedsworth, a moderate Conservative assemblyman from Trinton, lost his Senate primary race to a more socially conservative challenger, but went one to win the general election as an Independent.

Still, Sen. Michael Kreighorn (N-Biereland) lost his three-way race after losing the NAT nomination in 2010.

And in 2008, Carova Sen. Lee Schefsky (C) ran as an Independent but ultimately lost his bid for re-election.

Nonetheless, Halitz is optimistic about her chances.

"I think the voters will choose the best candidate, and I believe that candidate is me," she told a local radio DJ in Doylestown.

Nancy Lindselli also spoke with the media Thursday, saying she's "elated" her earlier recount victory was upheld in the hand recount.

"The voters have spoken. They chose me as the Conservative nominee, and I am honored to be nominated for the Grassadellian Federal Senate. I'm very pleased that both the machine recount and the hand recount came out in my favor. I'm somewhat disappointed that Denna Halitz has chosen to continue her campaign against the voters' wishes. She lost the election but is continuing on, and I'm disappointed that Denna didn't respect the will of the voters. But she has made her choice, and now we move on to the general election, and I look forward to the campaign. The wind is in the sails and we sail on full-steam ahead," said a confident Lindselli.

"The winds of change are in the air," she added.

Donna Rae Cobb (N), who is less known than her two conservative opponents and has so far stayed out of the CNS civil war, declined to comment on the intra-party battle between Halitz and Lindselli.

In a statement to the media, Cobb simply congratulated Lindselli on winning the CNS nomination, and congratulated Halitz on her Independent bid.

"I look forward to a very lively and spirited campaign," said Cobb.

Under East Deschire law, a candidate must receive 50% of the vote plus 1 to be declared the winner. If no candidate wins 50% plus 1 in the general election, a run-off election between the top two candidates will take place.

In order for the beleaguered Halitz to win, she will have to win more votes than Nancy Lindselli while also holding Donna Rae Cobb (N) under 50% of the vote. Then she will have to win a run-off election.

The same holds true for Lindselli, who must also win more votes than Denna Halitz and at the same time, keep Cobb from winning a majority of the votes, and then turn around and win a run-off election.

The election now strongly favors Cobb, as her two conservative opponents will likely split the conservative vote.

Though East Deschire is overall conservative-leaning, voters have elected several centrist Nationalists to state-wide office in recent years, including Gov. Lynn DeMont, Attorney General Rocky Morin, and Sens. Allison Sweeten and Portia McLendon.

Cobb, also a centrist, is hoping to position herself as a stable and likable alternative to her two conservative challengers.

Lindselli is hoping to ride an anti-Mavocke, anti-Menuhaeo, anti-NAT wave back to Mavocke.

Meanwhile, Lindselli will likely try to appeal to moderate Conservatives and Independents, and will continue to tout her accomplishments and her record as someone who "gets things done" for the Harvest State.

What's unclear is which, if either, of the candidates the CNS Senate Campaign Committee (CSCC) will back with support and fundraising.

Since Halitz lost the CNS nomination, it's doubtful she will retain the CSCC's support.

However, Lindselli defied Senate Minority Leader Jay Burns and other top CNS senators when she announced her primary challenge to Halitz.

Burns and other prominent party officials had privately and publicly asked Lindselli not to run against Halitz for the sake of party unity.

That decision may cost Lindselli the backing of the CSCC, which is expected to announce its general election strategy for East Deschire seat in the coming days.

12-year-old boy shot, killed by police in suburban Berivian

ARCH-HAMPTON, Deschire -- An adolescent boy is dead after an officer-involved shooting near Berivian.

The Berivian Emblem Herald first broke the story late Thursday afternoon, reporting an adolescent male had been shot by an officer in the city of Arch-Hampton, directly across the Dalcrumb River from Berivian on the river's eastern shore.

Arch-Hampton Police confirmed 12-year-old Michael Arman was shot by an AHPD officer in the Railyards industrial neighborhood at 4:37 pm western time.

As often the case with fast-moving stories, there was confusion surrounding the details of the incident.

Some media outlets initially reported the victim was an unarmed Black male, but police say Arman was armed with a handgun, and the Anleigh County Coroner confirmed Arman was Hispanic and Caucasian, not Black.

What led to the shooting is still unclear. Arch-Hampton Police Chief Chuck Musgrove told local media an officer was on routine patrol in the Railyards industrial area when he saw a young man smashing empty beer bottles on railroad tracks.

The officer, who has not yet been identified, reportedly stopped his vehicle and walked up to Arman to inquire why he was smashing bottles.

What happened after that is unknown.

The officer in question told his superior commanders Arman drew a gun and attempted to fire at the officer but the gun malfunctioned. The officer then shot the suspect three times in the chest and leg.

Police say two GrassWest rail workers, who were more than 100 yards away at the time, are the only known eye-witnesses.

"This happened in a very industrial area with a lot of machinery and empty warehouses around, and not very many people. So we don't believe there were very many people who saw what happened, but obviously, any witnesses who saw this even transpire, we would very much like to speak with them," said Musgrove.

"Based on what we know now, [the shooting] happened very quickly. There was not much time to think, and there was not much communication between the officer and the suspect before shots were fired," added Musgrove."

Michael Arman was rushed to a local hospital but died upon arrival.

The Anleigh County Sheriff's Department has now taken over the investigation.

Investigation protocol requires a neighboring law enforcement agency to investigate in such situations.

The Anleigh County Coroner's Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Late Thursday evening, a group of family and friends created a memorial of flowers, balloons, and stuffed animals at the sight of the shooting in memory of Michael Arman, who was a student at Timothy Watkins Junior High School just a few miles away.

Friday night, a larger candle-light vigil was held near the scene to honor Arman. More than 300 people attended.

Friends of the Arman family are outraged at what they call an act of police brutality.

"Michael was just a kid. A sweet kid. He would never hurt anyone. He had respect for authority. This was police brutality plain and simple," Mike Fain, a friend of the Arman family, told WBER-TV.

Outrage over the shooting death has been pervasive in Arch-Hampton, where 57% of the city's population are minorities.

An eruption of activity exploded on Facebook and Twitter, as hundreds and then thousands of people expressed anger at what many consider an act of excessive force.

Back at the scene, Mike Fain set up a camp of sorts across the street from the shooting site, because he fears the police will alter the crime scene or manipulate evidence to justify the shooting.

"You can't trust these guys. They're liars and manipulators. They will do whatever it takes to defend their own, even when they are completely in the wrong," said Fain.

Police said they would allow Fain and his supporters - which numbered about 50 people yesterday and almost 100 people Friday - to assemble and protest across the street, as long as they remain peaceful, stay within the park boundaries, and do not interfere with traffic or the investigation across the street.

Parks in the city close at dusk, and police emphasized that the crowd should disburse at dusk.

Authorities have been monitoring the situation, which they fear could grow into a mass-protest, similar to the rioting and widespread looting that occurred earlier this week in Ferguson, Missouri in the United States over the shooting death of a Black teenager by a white police officer.

That shooting has rocketed Ferguson, a normally quiet suburb of St. Louis, to the forefront of international headlines in recent days, with Missouri's governor calling in the National Guard to help quell the violence, and Barack Obama's Attorney General Eric Holder visiting to reassure a thorough and fair investigation.

So far, there has been no looting or rioting at the scene of Michael Arman's death. But local law enforcement are keeping an eye on the situation as it develops.

"We want people to be able to exercise their right to freedom of speech and protest. They have that right, it's guaranteed in the Constitution. But we also want the investigators to have easy and safe access to the crime scene, so they can do their very crucial work in a safe environment without interruption, interference or threats of violence," said Anleigh County Sheriff Paul Wymer.

Deschire Gov. Jan Beamer was also briefed on the shooting Thursday evening. A spokesman from her office told the Emblem Herald the governor is receiving regular updates on the unfolding situation, and may ask the Deschire State Police Coroner's Office to conduct a second autopsy.

"It's always sad anytime there is an officer-involved shooting. It's sad for the victim, it's sad for the officer involved, and it's sad for friends and family and the community. It's very stressful, a very emotional situation, and we want feelings to be respected but we also want the integrity of the investigation upheld, and what we absolutely do not want is violence," Zach Kramer, spokesman for Gov. Beamer's office, said in an email.

Bartholomew will face Ben Jordan in Biereland governor race

BROOKINGS, Biereland -- As expected, Biereland Attorney General Ben Jordan easily won the Conservative nomination for governor in a tense three-way race.

Biereland's secretary of state reported Jordan winning with just 41% of the vote. Brookings Mayor Rich DeFrancesco trailed with 34% and former Sen. Bob Kozzy came in a distant third with 24%.

According to Biereland law, a candidate must receive at least 45% of the popular vote in a general election to win. But in a primary election, whichever candidate wins the most vote - even if they receive less than 45% - wins the nomination.

Jordan was expected to win the primary competition, although in recent weeks the race had been heating up following a highly-publicized war of words between Jordan and his most out-spoken rival, Bob Kozzy.

The very public back-and-forth between Jordan and Kozzy only increased tension between the two. And despite his best attempt, Rich DeFrancesco, who entered the race late, was unable to break into first place while his opponents' bickered.

Much of the disagreement between the two men came down to policy differences. Jordan, who has broad appeal among party establishment and conservative base voters, has focused his campaign on crime and public safety.

Meanwhile, Kozzy, who is fiscally conservative but socially moderate and has an admittedly libertarian bent, has focused his campaign on taxes, jobs and fighting corruption.

The former senator has been steadfast in his criticism of Jordan for being too cozy with party establishment, and lacking accountability.

Jordan has framed Kozzy as a quirky, eccentric left-wing liberal masquerading as a Conservative.

DeFrancesco, for his part, sought to portray himself as a compromise candidate - more conservative than Kozzy to appease the party base, but not as staunchly conservative and strong-headed as Ben Jordan.

DeFrancesco's plan looked good on paper, but failed to produce a win.

The Jordan campaign confirmed their candidate received a congratulatory call from Rich DeFrancesco. They could not confirm if they received a similar call from Bob Kozzy.

At his victory speech in Brantley, an eastern Brookings suburb, Ben Jordan wasted no time attacking his NAT opponent, Gov. San Bartholomew.

"This is the first step on the road to victory. Come this fall, we will take back Biereland. We will show San Bartholomew the door. And we will overturn all of his failed policies, from timber restrictions to taking away our gun rights, to same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization, and we'll overturn all of his devastating, burdensome tax hikes and red tape too," said a laughing, determined Jordan.

Neither same-sex marriage or marijuana have been legalized in Biereland, but a measure will be on the ballot this year seeking to legalize marijuana. And a same-sex marriage measure is being drafted for the 2016 elections, if it's not legalized before then by the state's legislature.

The Bartholomew campaign released a short, to-the-point statement:

"Bierelanders will have a very clear choice this fall when they go to the polls. They can elect a governor who believes in the common good and fighting for all Bierelanders, or they can elect a governor who panders to an ultra-conservative, right-wing electorate and wishes to impose his radical views on all our citizens. It's an obvious choice."

Polls have shown a close race between Bartholomew and Jordan heading into the fall election. Biereland is rated a "toss-up" state by most political analysts.