Editor’s note: This story originally ran on Democracywise, an SU-based website with stories from political reporting students.

In a tight race, Democrat Dan Maffei was predicting he will reclaim a seat in the House in his rematch against U.S. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-Onondaga Hill.

“Central New York now has its own Comeback Kid,” Maffei announced to supporters at Pensabene’s Casa Grande on State Fair Boulevard, the Democratic Party headquarters on Election Night. He was echoing a description made famous by Bill Clinton in his campaign for the presidency.

As of 3:50 a.m., with 99 percent of the vote counted, Maffei led Buerkle 48 percent to 44 percent, according to unofficial results from across the 24th Congressional District.

The 24th Congressional District includes Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties, and Western Oswego County.

The Maffei-Buerkle race had gained national attention because the Democrats were fighting to regain control of the House. Before Election Day, the Republicans held the majority with 240 seats to the Democrats’ 190. Five seats were open with no incumbent. To gain control of the House, the Democrats needed 28 additional seats.

In 2010, Maffei was the incumbent in the then-25th Congressional District. He lost to Buerkle by 648 votes.

This year’s race for the redistricted and renamed 24th Congressional District was considered one of the closest races in the United States. As of Nov. 3, Buerkle and Maffei were tied at 44 percent each of voters saying they would cast their ballot for either one, according to a Siena Research Institute poll. The poll’s margin of error is 3.8 percent.

At Pensabene’s Casa Grande, where the Democratic Party gathered for vote-watching on Election Night, Maffei was absent for most of the night. But when he arrived shortly after midnight, he was all smiles.

“We do still have some votes to count, but at this point, I am confident that when all the votes are counted, I will be your next congressman,” Maffei said to his supporters.

In a press conference, Maffei said he feels good, but reserved.

“I don’t want to not respect any of the thousands and thousands of absentee votes that are out there,” he said. “I’m not going to allow myself to feel like it’s over until it’s over.”

At the polls on Tuesday, some voters gave clues to the race’s outcome.

At the Manlius Town Hall on Brooklea Drive in Fayetteville, Heather Sheridan, 37, of Fayetteville, said even though she is a registered Independent Party voter, she voted the Democratic line.

“I think that Republican Party has been taking over,” she said. “And they need to be put in check.”

At Immaculate Conception Church on Salt Springs Street in Fayetteville, Michelle Klick, 37, of Fayetteville, said she voted for Maffei of DeWitt because she disagrees with Buerkle’s conservative stance on various issues.

“Ann Marie Buerkle’s views on especially women’s rights and health care, and a number of things, I just think are very right-winged, very conservative and just not in line with my priorities,” Klick, a registered Democrat, said.

Back at the Democratic Party’s gathering, Maffei said he believes his former experience in Congress will benefit both him and Central New York.

“It’s not the years, it’s the mileage,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of mileage on me now.”

Published on November 7, 2012 at 5:58 am

Contact Stephanie: snbouvia@syr.edu | @snbouvia