Published: November 05, 2008 01:00 am         

House District 45: Borders wins close race

TERRE HAUTE — The Indiana House District 45 race between incumbent Republican Bruce Borders and Democrat Rick Marshall was too close to call for much of the evening Tuesday, with the final outcome apparent near midnight.

With 100 percent of precincts counted, Borders had 12,974 votes to Marshall’s 11,955.

At 11:30 p.m., Borders was not ready to declare victory, but he was optimistic the outcome would eventually be in his favor. He said results he received showed he won by strong margins in Greene and Daviess counties. The former mayor of Jasonville is seeking a third term.

Marshall is a Knox County schoolteacher.

Borders said it had been a tough election. “I was outspent by hundreds of thousands of dollars and they ran a deceptive campaign,” he said. “I was competing with a lot less money.”

Marshall also said it was too close to call before the final votes were tallied. “I just feel like we did the best we could,” he said. Whatever happens, for a first-time campaign against an incumbent, “I think we gave him a heck of a race whether we win, lose or draw.”