Republican gubernatorial challenger Dino Rossi has overtaken Gov. Chris Gregoire’s early lead in votes.
Rossi is now leading Gregoire 474,140 votes to 451,788, 51.2 percent to 48.8 percent after the second batch of vote totals released by the Secretary of State’s Office.
It may be days before a final result is known in this much anticipated rematch. Four years ago, Rossi led on election night and lost by 133 votes following two recounts and a court case.
Tuesday night brought the curtain down on a $45 million campaign, by far the most expensive in state history.
Gregoire and Rossi raised a combined $25 million with independent political committees amassing the other $20 million and spending most of it to attack one candidate or the other.
Voters turned out in large numbers this election.
In Pierce and King counties, the only two counties with polling places, droves of voters endured long lines and, at times, braved strong rain weather to participate Tuesday.
Some people waited up to two hours to cast a ballot and those still in line at 8 p.m. when polls officially closed were being allowed to vote, state election officials said.
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