Perriello acting like winner

Last week the commonwealth’s Democratic Party Chair, Dick Cranwell, called Tom Perriello the winner.

A day later, Perriello called a news conference to declare himself the winner.

And now we learn that Perriello is planning to attend Congress’s new member orientation next week.

All of this has happened before the State Board of Elections has declared Perriello the winner.

What’s going on?

“It is smart politics,” says WSLS Political Analyst Dr. Bob Denton.

Denton says Perriello’s current vote margin, he’s ahead by more than 700 votes, allows him to shape the conversation.

“You start framing expectations among the public. You go ahead and act that you are there as if there was no doubt,” Dr. Denton said. “It also, despite the fact of a recount, it also validates the election even stronger.”

Goode, for his part, isn’t entirely fading away. Speaking at a Veterans Day Ceremony, Goode refused to concede but said it’s appropriate for Perriello to go to the new member orientation.

He also wouldn’t say whether he’ll call for a recount.

“We’re going to look and see what the election tapes and the data shows and then make a decision,” Goode said.

Dr. Denton says the current vote total makes a recount unlikely.

“I’d be surprised if he called for a recount,” he said.

That means we could have resolution to this race in days instead of weeks.