Candidate Waits for Concession in Senate Race - Sky Arnold

Tim Barnes may have gotten thousands of more votes, but as of Wednesday night his opponent Rosalind Kurita has yet to concede their 22nd Senate race.

"I think we will have to wait and see what happens and you know I don't think you can make a quick call," said Kurita.

One reason Kurita may be waiting involves Republicans who kept control of the Senate Tuesday and are now considering not seating Barnes.

"We are looking in to all the options we have as a State Senate to not seat Tim Barnes and either have a special election or whatever we can do under the law," said Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey.

Ramsey says he wants to make that move because of the controversial way Barnes made it on the ballot.

Kurita beat Barnes in the Democratic Party primary by 19 votes. That result was voided by the Party under allegations of Republicans wrongfully voting in the race.

The party then named Barnes its nominee.

The decision was criticized by Kurita as pay-back for a vote she made earlier to place Republican Ron Ramsey in the Lt. Governor's seat.

Opinions differ on how much ability Republicans will have to keep Barnes from his Senate seat.

The attorney who represented the Senate in 2006 when the body voided Ophelia Ford's election says he believes Senators only have authority over races decided in a general election.

"I can't say unqualifiedly that the senate wouldn't have a right to look behind the general election but that would be very long shot I think," said Attorney Ben Cantrell.Candidate Waits for Concession in Senate Race - Sky Arnold