Tea Party's Benishek leads Allen by 1 to 12 votes in Michigan1

The largest geographical U.S. Congressional District east of the Mississippi River could be decided by a single vote.

Republicans Jason Allen, a Michigan senator from Alanson, and Dan Benishek, a surgeon from Crystal Falls, have both declared victory in a deadlocked 31-county primary race to succeed retiring 1st District Congressman Bart Stupak.

Early-morning unofficial statistics put the two Republicans within one and a dozen votes in Benishek's favor.

Michigan Secretary of State figures declare Benishek ahead of Allen, 27,091 - 27,090 — a single vote separating the candidates.

The early Wednesday morning Associated Press tabulation for the entire district puts the count at 27,070 to 27,058 — 12 votes in favor of Benishek.

The count could very well be the closest Congressional race in Michigan history, beating the close 2000 general election race for the 8th Congressional when Republican Mike Rogers defeated Democrat Diane Byrum by 111 votes.

"We won," Allen said at about 12:45 a.m. from Petoskey.

"I think it is amazing to see the interest in this race and the diversity of opinions and we have to move forward for the general (election)," Allen said.

As conflicting reports continued to roll in, the Benishek camp also decided to call the race in their favor.

"I'm the winner," Benishek said about an hour later at 1:45 a.m. from Iron Mountain.

"It's been an amazing night," Benishek said. "We thought it was going to be close and we would wait until the morning, but then the final tally came in."