9 Democrats still hoping for victory

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Nine U.S. congressional races, all involving incumbent Democrats, remained undecided Thursday, two days after the election.

In Arizona, Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was ahead of the Republican candidate, Jesse Kelly, in the Tucson-area 8th District, KGUN-TV, Tucson, reported. In the neighboring 7th District, Rep. Raul Grijalva was declared the winner Wednesday in his race over Republican Ruth McClung, CNN reported.

Two California races are so tight the result will be determined by absentee and provisional ballots and the outcome might be unknown for days or weeks, the San Francisco Chronicle said. Democratic incumbent Jerry McNerney is about 100 votes ahead of Republican David Harmer in the 11th District, which includes part of the San Francisco suburbs and rural areas to the east, while Democratic Rep. Jim Costa is a few votes behind Republican Andy Vidak in the Fresno-area 20th District.

In Illinois, Republican challenger Joe Walsh, a Tea Party candidate, has claimed victory over Rep. Melissa Bean in the Chicago-area 8th District. But the Democrat, trailing by about 500 votes, has not given up and says she hopes to win in the absentee ballot count, scheduled to begin Thursday afternoon, The (Arlington Heights, Ill.) Daily Herald said.

Republican Andy Barr has said he will not make any decision until Friday on challenging the results in central Kentucky's 6th District, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. Democratic Rep. Ben Chandler, with an unofficial lead of more than 600 votes, declared victory Tuesday.

In the Rochester area in upstate New York, Democratic Rep. Dan Maffei trails Republican Ann Marie Buerkle by a few hundred votes, WSYR, Syracuse, reported. A final result could be days away because of delays in counting absentee ballots.

In Texas, Democrat Solomon Ortiz, a 14-term incumbent, trails Republican Blake Farenthold by fewer than 1,000 votes in the 27th District. He said he may ask for a recount, while Farenthold says he is the winner, the San Antonio Express reported.

Freshman Democrat Gerry Connolly was ahead of Republican challenger Keith Fimian by more than 900 votes in the 11th District in northern Virginia, The Washington Post said.

Democrat Rick Larsen, seeking a sixth term in the 2nd District in northwest Washington state, led Republican John Koster by about 500 votes, the Journal of the San Juan Islands said.