KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Carmouche plans to apply for recount

Carmouche plans to apply for recount

By Ben Wolf - email | bio

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - Three hundredfifty six votes separate apparent winner Dr. John Fleming from Paul Carmouche in the 4th congressional district race.

Fleming's campaign staff now considers him "congressman-elect."

But Carmouche isn't ready to throw in the towel - he has announced plans to call for a recount.

"That's just too close for us to say it's all over.  We want to make sure the count is right because sometimes they aren't," Carmouche explained.

The Caddo Registrar of Voters says Carmouche will have to apply for a recount within the next few days through the clerk of courts office in each parish.

"By the way I'm sure if the roles were reversed and I was up by 350 votes, I'm sure they would be asking for the same thing I'm asking for.  It's just too close to let it go," said Carmouche.

Voting officials say they will tally only provisional ballots in the recount.

Officials will collect those ballots Monday and then count them Tuesday afternoon.

They tell KSLA News 12 their counting is open to the public.

In Caddo parish there were 1,000 provisional ballots in the November elections and about 100 in the October primary.

They expect a low amount for Saturday's election.

The Fleming camp directed KSLA News 12 to the National Republican Congressional Committee for their stance on the recount.

"The fact of the matter is, you've seen this in states like Minnesota and places across the country where democrats based out of Washington D.C. continue to hold campaigns and elections hostage," said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain.

They say the people have spoken and it's highly unlikely there is enough provisional ballots to put Carmouche on top.

Caddo Registrar of Voters Ernie Roberson says the last time Caddo Parish saw a recount was in 2006 when Monty Walford beat out Sheva Sims for a seat in the Shreveport City Council. 

Despite plans for a recount by Paul Carmouche doctor John Fleming's campaign staff now calls him the "congressman-elect."

They say he's already spoken with republican leaders about committee assignments that would benefit northwest Louisiana.

Dr. Fleming lists transportation and infrastructure as well as budget as possible assignments.

A spokesman for the national republican congressional committee says it's necessary for Dr. Fleming to get the ball rolling.