Bright withdraws recount contest but contends loss

INDIANAPOLIS -- Republican Billy Bright, a former state representative who had challenged election results that show he lost by about 1,600 votes, has withdrawn his petition for a recount.\nHowever, Bright still is contending the loss to Democrat Dave Cheatham, so the Indiana Recount Commission plans to hear his allegations about election problems. If Bright convinces the bipartisan commission that widespread voting problems or fraud tainted the election outcome, the panel could order a new election.\nBright told the Courier-Journal of Louisville, Ky., that his recount petition was never about overturning the results of the election. He said he wanted the review of ballots to gather evidence about what he believes is widespread fraud.\nBright has not been specific about the problems, but he said an unusually high number of absentee ballots cast is evidence something is wrong.\n"This is much bigger than my race," he said. "This is not about me. This is not about Dave Cheatham. This is about finding the truth."\nCheatham, who was conditionally seated last month as a member of the Indiana House, has called the challenge ridiculous.\nBright's challenge is one of four involving a House race, but it's the only one that could potentially change control of the House, which Democrats currently control 51-49.\nDemocrats could only lose control of the chamber if a recount determines Bright won and outcomes in the other races stand. That would give each party 50 members, and under a tie-breaking rule, Republicans would control the chamber.\nEven if that recount scenario played out, however, the House and Senate have ultimate authority for seating their members. Because House Democrats are in the majority now, they could buck recount results to ensure they retain the speaker's gavel.\nThe Indiana Recount Commission also granted Libertarian Steve Osborn's request to re-tally ballots in 10 precincts in his statewide race for the U.S. Senate against Dick Lugar, even though Osborn lost by more than 1 million votes on Nov. 7, and he acknowledged the recount gave him no chance of winning.