The will of the people must be usurped

Sure enough, Washington Republicans have filed to block close to 600 votes that were wrongly discarded in the state's election:

Republican Party lawyers will contest King County Auditor Dean Logan's attempt to include as many as 595 ballots in the hand recount now under way, adding any votes on them to the final totals.

They're gravely concerned that those votes will heavily favor Democrat Christine Gregoire and ultimately help snatch victory from Republican Dino Rossi, who has emerged as the winner in two prior vote counts.

He won the Nov. 2 election by 261 votes and held a 42-vote lead after a mandated machine recount. By Tuesday he had gained 64 votes in the hand recount.