Bean: 8th Congressional race too close to call

Ten days after the election, 8th District Congresswoman Melissa Bean insisted Friday that the race with Republican Joe Walsh is still too close to call, as she prepared to return to Washington, D.C., for next week's session of Congress.

Bean denied rumors she's already being tapped for a post in the Obama administration, and rumors she's making plans to request a recount.

Though Bean trails Walsh by 347 votes, she said there are about 1,500 uncounted absentee and provisional ballots still in play in the 8th District.

Walsh's campaign manager, Nick Provenzano, said Bean's figure is probably in the ballpark.

Bean pointed to the fact that she narrows Joe Walsh's lead with every new count of absentee ballots in Cook County. Bean dominated Cook County results on Election Day.

Absentee ballots in Lake and McHenry counties won't be tallied until Tuesday. Walsh held strong majorities in those counties among Election Day voters.

Nevertheless, Bean interpreted the trend she's seen among Cook County absentee voters as one that could hold true for all absentee voters.

Provenzano strongly disagreed, believing absentee voters will have cast ballots no differently than did their neighbors on Election Day.

“Minds smarter than me have said that geography trumps time,” Provenzano said.

Bean said she's focused on her job and not on any rumored offers of a post at the White House.

“There are rumors; I don't know where they're coming from,” Bean said. “In the meantime, I have a job to do.”

She said any consideration of a recount or postelection analysis by her of the reasons for a supposed Walsh victory were premature until all results are in.

“We're still waiting on a first count, and that's what I'm focused on.”

Nevertheless, she said it wasn't inappropriate for Walsh to attend Sunday's orientation session for new congressmen, since candidates in past undecided races have regularly participated.