House races

Illinois Rep. Melissa Bean (D) said her race remains "too close to call" because there are still some 1,500 ballots outstanding.

Bean trails her Republican challenger, Joe Walsh, by 347 votes. She expects the final tally of absentee and provisional ballots will be completed next Tuesday.

"The trends show the gap closing," she said, noting that 70 percent of the absentee ballots cast went for her.

What's deceptive about that number, however, is that only the heavily Democratic Cook County has started counting its absentee and provisional ballots. McHenry and Lake counties, which favored Walsh, won't count their outstanding ballots until Nov. 16.

"We're just waiting for them to finish their work," Bean said on a conference call with reporters Friday.

The three-term Democrat refused to say she was "optimistic" about the outcome of the final count. "I'm just waiting, patiently, for them to do their work, so we can see what the results are," she said. "We've been encouraged by the trends."

While Bean waits, Walsh plans to travel to Washington to attend the orientation session for freshmen GOP members.

Bean said there was nothing unusual about that. "That's common practice, so it's not surprising that he would attend," she said.

Bean herself on Monday is heading back to Washington. "We'll have to get their results while I'm in Washington."

Following his narrow reelection victory, Georgia Rep. John Barrow (D) said he won't vote for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) to become minority leader in the next Congress.

"Congressman Barrow will not support Nancy Pelosi for Democratic leader, nor will he vote for her for Speaker," Jane Brodsky, Barrow's spokeswoman, told the Savannah Morning News in an e-mail.

Barrow was hit for supporting Pelosi by his Republican challenger, Ray McKinney, during the campaign. He subsequently saw his winning percentage cut by 9 percent from 2008.

Barrow supported Pelosi when she sought leadership positions in 2005, 2007 and 2009.

But after a sustained effort by the GOP, support for Pelosi has become politically toxic for some Democrats — particularly those in southern states. Earlier this week, another Georgian, Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr. (D), declared he wouldn't back Pelosi's new leadership bid.

Conservative talk radio host Joyce Kaufman caused a controversy when she called outgoing Speaker Pelosi "garbage."

The Texas Secretary of State wants more money and more "information" from Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D) before agreeing to a recount, according to KRGV.com.

Ortiz had asked the office for a manual recount of his race against Republican challenger Blake Farenthold.

After Election Day, he trailed Farenthold by 799 votes. But Ortiz, who's served 14 terms in the House, picked up seven votes after a bag containing early votes was found in Robstown two days later, according to KIIITV.com. The Ortiz camp said those missing ballots prove there could be other errors in the vote counting.

On Tuesday, Ortiz deposited $11,500 dollars with the secretary of state's office in order to begin the recount. But officials said they want another $12,000 before proceeding. They're also asking for additional paperwork. The Ortiz camp said it would comply with the request and they're confident the recount will proceed.

Farenthold has already declared victory, and on Tuesday he called again for Ortiz to concede.

Two California Democrats still locked in undecided races a week after Election Day declared victory on Wednesday.

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) promised to keep "playing offense" if he gets reelected as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

"Last year, the NRCC successfully expanded the playing field by getting involved early in races, where we won 52 of the 66 districts in which our Independent Expenditure (IE) invested," Sessions wrote in a letter to the GOP House caucus. "We will be in an even better position in 2012 to stretch the Democrats' comparatively smaller resources if we prepare now."

Sessions noted there were 80 freshman Republicans joining the caucus — "the largest since 1938."

"Our newest members will help to build upon our current major donor and regional fundraising strategy successes," Sessions wrote.

He asked the caucus to support his bid for another term as chairman, pledging the NRCC would provide each member with an "individualized strategic and tactical plan for coalition-building and outreach in advance of a new electoral playing field in the redistricting and presidential election year of 2012."

"We will also build upon the successful mentorship program that benefitted [sic] our freshmen as candidates, and continue their development as legislators and new members of the House Republican team," he wrote. 

Sessions isn't expected to face a challenge in his bid for another term as chairman.

Controversial radio host Joyce Kaufman, who'll head Rep.-elect Allen West's (R-Fla.) office, said Tuesday that the Speaker was "garbage."

A decision on whether or not to grant Rep. Solomon Ortiz's (D-Texas) request for a manual recount might come as early as Wednesday from state elections officials in Texas. 

The longtime incumbent has refused to concede to Republican Blake Farenthold, who leads Ortiz by 799 votes. 

On Tuesday, Ortiz officially filed a request for a manual recount, which could take a couple of weeks to complete if granted. The secretary of state's office has 48 hours to decide whether or not to grant the request, according to the AP. 

"Congressman Ortiz wants to ensure that the votes of the people of South Texas be counted accurately and that no vote be left out," a spokesman for the Democrat said Tuesday in a statement. 

Farenthold has already declared victory, and he called again on Tuesday for Ortiz to concede. 

The race is one of several congressional contests that might end up in recounts. Reps. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) and Bob Etheridge (D-N.C.) are also seeking recounts in their races.  

In Kentucky, Republican Andy Barr has asked for a recanvass of votes in his loss to Rep. Ben Chandler (D-Ky.).

California Rep. Jerry McNerney has expanded his lead over Republican challenger David Harmer to 2,269 votes, according to the Democrat's campaign.

"It's clear that the momentum is in McNerney's favor and continues to grow," Doug Greven, McNerney's campaign manager, said in a statement.

McNerney led by 632 votes on Monday.

"Late results on election night broke strongly in McNerney’s favor, and that trend has continued," Greven added. "In the days since the election, McNerney’s lead has grown significantly. Now he leads by 2,269 votes."

McNerney's camp believes he is "well-positioned to stay in the lead when the remaining votes are counted."

Vote counting, which had been slowed by an influx of vote-by-mail ballots that were dropped off at the polls on Election Day, is expected to be completed by Nov. 24.

A spokesman for Alec Baldwin denies speculation the actor would run in 2012 if Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) loses.