Almost there: 383 precincts in now, and Mayor Tom's got 40,983 out of the 77,296 votes cast. Which leaves a mere 36,313 for Angela Hunt. And only 17 precincts left to go. It's over: The Trinity River toll road wins. By 10 miles.
Matt talked to Carol Reed moments ago during the Vote No! camp's victory party at Gilley's, and she told him their win over Angela Hunt's anti-toll road faction likely was the result of plentiful mailers sent well in advance of early voting. Matt had to wait for the answer as John Scovell, Ray Hunt's boy toy, was giving Reed a hug -- that's all, just a hug? Matt also reports that council members, chatting amongst themselves, were kind of surprised the vote was so close.
"The mood here's really subdued, with people chatting politely," Matt says. "If you just came in here out of the cold, you would think you walked into the losing side and not the side certain to win." Maybe that's because they're charging for beer at Gilley's, where the bar at Angela Hunt's TrinityVote shindig at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary is gratis, D's Trey Garrison tells Mr. Pulle. Matt's also stunned by one other fact: Sheffie Kadane has a "surprisingly hot red-headed date," whereas Matt's there all by his lonesome. "I am currently re-evaluating my life," Matt reports. At this point, many of us are doing the very same thing. --Robert Wilonsky
