The Associated Press has declared Democrat Kathy Hochul the winner in New York’s 26th congressional district special election.
Hochul defeated Republican Jane Corwin and Tea Party candidate Jack Davis in the race to replace disgraced former Rep. Chris Lee, a Republican who became known as the “Craigslist Congressman” after sending shirtless pictures of himself to a woman who posted a dating ad on the Web.
The battle, however, may not be over for Corwin. Earlier in the day, the Buffalo News reported that Corwin took the first step toward a recount by getting a court order from the New York Supreme Court, preventing a certification of a winner.
Update:
With 89 percent of precincts reporting, Hochul led Corwin by 48-to-42 percent, the AP reports.
Update:
President Barack Obama has released a statement congratulating Hochul on her victory.
“Kathy and I both believe that we need to create jobs, grow our economy, and reduce the deficit in order to outcompete other nations and win the future,” Obama said in the statement. “Kathy has shown, through her victory and throughout her career, that she will fight for the families and businesses in western New York, and I look forward to working with her when she gets to Washington.”