Poker Faces

Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em

by Catherine Tumber

Let's face it. In the national popular vote, Al Gore and George W. Bush are in a dead heat, virtually tied in their bid for the highest office in the land. As the 2000 presidential decision still hangs in the balance going into the third week after the election, we might want to consider how the states handle these matters. Take New Mexico, for instance. As CNN.com reported on November 14, "Under New Mexico law, if the candidates end up tied, the winner could be determined by having the two [contenders] sit for a hand of poker -- with the state going to the winner." The New Mexico statute requires that in the case of a tie, "the determination as to which of the candidates shall be declared to have been nominated or elected shall be decided by lot." In practice, the usual method in this rare event has been to play one hand of five-card poker.

"This was last done in December 1999 [!] in a local judge's race," the CNN.com report continued. "Republican Jim Blanq and Democrat Lena Milligan played one hand of poker in a courthouse with dozens of people watching, and Blanq won. . . . "

Well, it's better than fighting a duel.