LANSING - Around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, state Sen. Dianne Byrum made an announcement that she had won her battle for the seat in the 8th Congressional District.
“We figured we’re ready to say we have a victory to bring home tonight,” said Byrum, D-Onondaga. “We’re going to end this rally tonight on a high note - we brought a victory home for the Democrats.”
But many Republicans feel her announcement may have been premature. At the time of her victory speech, only 21 percent of the ballots had been counted and Byrum was actually losing to her opponent, state Sen. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton.
When she gave her speech at the United Auto Workers Local 652, 210 Clare St., Rogers was ahead 50 percent to Byrum’s 40 percent. While an EPIC/MRA exit poll showed Byrum had won, a Detroit News exit poll showed Rogers would be the victor.
As of 1:33 a.m., Rogers had 50 percent to Byrum’s 48 percent, with 49 percent of all precincts reporting.
“We’re looking at (the election) precinct by precinct,” Byrum said. “Things are very strong and we are doing well in our target areas.”
Adam Wright, Byrum’s press secretary, said the campaign looked at the precincts that were reporting at the time and figured in the boost it would receive from Ingham County.
Adam Melis, a consultant who worked on the Byrum campaign, said her victory announcement was not out of line.
“Based on what I heard, it sounds good,” Melis said. “It looks like we are going to take it.”
The hall was filled with loud cheering when Byrum took the stage - there was not a body in the building who was not plastered with Democrat buttons or stickers.
East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows was also at the Byrum rally to lend his support.
“Dianne is a great candidate,” Meadows said. “She’s run a great campaign.
“We knew it was going to be a tight race.”
Across town at the Rogers campaign party at the Holiday Inn South, 6820 S. Cedar St., the Republicans were not so eager to call the election a loss.
Rogers was hoping to celebrate a victory with U.S. Sen. Spence Abraham, R-Auburn Hills. Abraham was running against U.S. Rep. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, to retain his seat.
“We just wanted to come down and tell you this thing is not over,” Rogers told the crowd just before 2 a.m. Wednesday.
It was Rogers’ first address to the crowd.
“The nearest we can tell, they got a hold of some fuzzy math. We are in this if you are, and I just want to say thank you for those who spent your blood, sweat and tears for the last 18 months. Hang on, it’s not over yet.”
Sylvia Warner, Rogers’ press secretary, said there was no way a candidate could call an election with only 20 percent of the polls reporting.
“Byrum declared herself a winner 20 minutes ago, and it’s too early and the numbers are too close to tell,” Warner said. “We’re in it for the long haul - we’re ready to win.
“The TV shows us tied 50-50, however, 30 percent of (Rogers’ home district) Livingston County have not been reported yet.”
While they weren’t admitting defeat at Byrum’s announcement, things were certainly heating up at the Rogers party. By 9:45 p.m., Warner was answering her cellular phone in short, incomplete sentences instead of a more cordial greeting.
“We knew it’d be close - Mike’s been saying that since the beginning that we’d be here all night,” Warner said.
Warner said Rogers estimated only 1,500 to 2,000 votes would be all that separated him from Byrum.
Rogers could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. He remained with his family in a private suite and Warner said he would not emerge until he had “something solid” as to his standing in the race.
Vicki Geddis, a political science and pre-law senior, is an assistant to Rogers in his state Senate office. She summed the last few days on the campaign trail as a wild ride.
“These last few days have been pretty crazy,” she said.
