Komorowski Appears to Have Edge in Run-off Election

Bronislaw Komorowski appears headed to a narrow victory over Jaroslaw Kaczynski, as exit polls give the acting president a 53-47 lead over the brother to the late president.

Speaking to supporters, Komorowski thanked voters and those who helped his campaign, but seemed hesitant to outright declare victory as some polls were a bit tighter as the evening progressed. But if the trends hold through the night, Komorowski would be the president.

“We’ll have a small bottle of champagne tonight and a big one tomorrow,” he said.

Meanwhile at Kaczynski headquarters, the mood was positive, but the faces seemed to accept the bitter fact their candidate was on the losing end. Kaczynski offered somewhat of a mild concession speech, saying tradition demands he congratulate Komorowski, but he urged ballot counters to be careful and accurate.

Komorowski and Kaczynski emerged as the leading candidates after the 10th April plane crash near Smolensk, Russia, that killed then-president Lech Kaczynski. Both men were the leading vote-getters in last week’s election but neither earned a majority, forcing today’s runoff election.

See also: Election 2010: The Final Countdown