Len Barcousky has the story on Chuck Martoni -- aka "the Masked Marvel," "Johnny Walker" and "Charlie Rose" while a former studio wrestler -- taking over the presidency of Allegheny County Council from state Democratic party chairman Jim Burn.

And Joe Smydo reviews the changes across Forbes Avenue in Pittsburgh City Council Chambers. The jury is still out on whether this means Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has a new, veto-proof supermajority on council, but it has also prompted some questions about the role of Patrick Dowd in the drama.

I don't know where the Highland Park councilman stands exactly either, but while Dowd is no friend of fellow East Ender Bill Peduto, but he's not with the mayor either. He joined the bloc voting against the mayoral pension/parking lease plan, and clashes aggressively with the mayor's finance director on water/sewer issues. Nor is Dowd tied to Darlene Harris, despite voting for her as president -- hell, he knocked her off the Pittsburgh Public Schools board and isn't close to her at all. And remember his district is heavy on city workers (of the type to support the Ravenstahl administration) who live in Stanton Heights/Morningside.

 

So with a Iowa caucuses win by only eight votes about seven hours ago, Mitt Romney will not have to fear a recount/recanvass from the Rick Santorum forces: such a thing does not exist. From the NYT:

There is no legal provision for a recount in the Iowa caucuses, and, in fact, no legal need.

The Iowa caucus, despite its position at the center of the political universe every four years, is nothing more than a nonbinding preference poll that does not legally determine who gets the state’s 25 delegates to the Republican nominating convention.

Quoting beloved Catholic writer and theologian C.S. Lewis at the top of his speech ("a friend is someone who knows the song in your heart") was pure Santorum -- heartfelt and directed toward his wife, and maybe not completely accurate. (While it's a well-known quote among the single footprints school, it isn't listed among the dozens of Lewis quotes in the list here. Any Lewis scholars out there?)

But a great night for sure for the ex Pa senator proving the mettle of the little guy (he spent 73 cents per vote to Romney's $300 per), which isn't so bad these days.

 

At 1:10 a.m. (12:10 Iowa time) the race for first place in the GOP caucuses was as tight as it could get: with 99 percent of the votes counted, presidential hopefuls Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney both had 25 percent of the vote, with Santorum leading by 18 votes. Ron Paul trailed with 21 percent.

Whether Santorum ends up squeaking a win or placing second to Romney by a tiny margin, his leap from single-digit bottom feeder to frontrunner was as dramatic as it gets. He now faces the inevitable media scrutiny (and comedians' mockery of his V-neck sweater vests), onslaught of negative campaign ads and the challenges of a low-budget operation without a strong organization in place in the coming primary states.

Jim O'Toole will head to New Hampshire today to join Tracie Mauriello, and Early Returns will continue to follow the fun with Rick and the rest of the gang.

 

Update: around 1:30 a.m., Mitt was ahead by one vote.

 

Update: around 1:40 a.m., Santorum regained the lead, with a four-vote margin.

 

Update: Fox and CNN both think they've figured out the missing precinct, and that Romney will win by 14 votes.

Update: At 2:34, Iowa officials announced Romney as the winner, by 8 votes.

 

The early numbers from the caucuses show the top three bunched within a point of one another. With 15 percent of the vote tabulated, Ron Paul had 24 percent; Mitt Romney, 23 percent and Rick Santorum, 22.9 percent.
And here's some snippets from the early entrance polls sponsored by the networks and the Associated Press:
-- Santorum just barely edges Romney among voters who decided today or in the last few days.
-- Ron Paul crushes among young voters
-- Paul wins every income group except those who make more than $100,000.
-- Santorum is way ahead among those who call themselves "very conservative;'' Romney leads among those the "somewhat conservative,''
and Paul among moderates and liberals.