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."

Tea Party's Benishek goes against State Sen. Jason Allen for Stupak's seat - the first open seat in north Michigan in 19 years

The state and nation will be watching the Republican primary to replace Congressman Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, as two well-funded front-runners have been dropping the gloves in mailers and television ads leading up to the election.

It will be the first time in 19 years there is an open seat in Northern Michigan and Republicans hope to flip it back their way in the fall.

Sen. Jason Allen, a long-time Northern Michigan political player from Alanson, will face newcomer Dan Benishek, a surgeon from Crystal Falls, for the Republican nomination.

Allen has been running strong since joining the race in the spring, but Benishek has been riding a tidal wave of anti-Stupak sentiment that has brought him cash from outside the district and Tea Party support.

For Benishek to win, he will have to pull together both Tea Party voters and independents to get over Allen's name recognition and endorsements from groups such as the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.

Die-hard supporters could also divide the vote with Tea Party Republican Tom Stillings of Torch Lake Township, five-time Republican candidate Don Hooper, Linda Goldthorpe and self-described GOP "everyman" Patrick Donlon of St. Ignace also in the hunt.

The winner will face term-limited Michigan Rep. Gary McDowell, D-Rudyard, who is expected to be a fierce pro-life, pro-second amendment competitor come November.