The counting of ballots continues in Washington State where Sen. Patty Murray bitterly clings to an extremely narrow lead over challenger Dino Rossi. Both campaigns have declared they feel “confident” that they will become victors. However, if you’re familiar with this state’s fraudulent 2004 gubernatorial election, the Murray campaign has plenty of reasons to be confident.

Six years ago Rossi fought a tough campaign against then-Attorney General Christine Gregoire in an attempt to reverse two decades of destructive Democratic ownership of the Governor’s Mansion. Like this year, it took many days to receive and count ballots (ballots postmarked on election day could take days to arrive and be counted at elections facilities), and on the final day to certify election results, Rossi led with 261 votes. A state-wide recount was triggered, resulting in his lead being narrowed to 42 votes out of 3 million, and he was certified winner.

It was when the Democrats demanded a manual recount that the fraud began. Suddenly ballots in Democrat-heavy King County were declared “missing” and Democrats began a mission to “find” such ballots… and they did. Over. And Over. More and more ballots, tipping the scale for Gregoire with considerable margins.

Today, Washington state has an all-absentee voting format (with the exception of Pierce County), and as such, “No one knows how many ballots are left to count, since large volumes are in the mail and final return rate isn’t knowable,” according to a spokesman for Secretary of State Sam Reed. So what’s stopping King County from “finding” additional ballots in a “tray in a warehouse,” behind a copy machine or in the trunk of a car?

While we are celebrating the fact that we have taken back the House and sent true conservatives to the Senate, we must not lose our attention on the race in Washington State. Now is the time to send resources—volunteers, lawyers, money—to Seattle to ensure there is a fair and legal counting of legitimate ballots.

Many have also questioned the handling of military ballots during these midterm elections. Washington has a considerable military population, many of whom are deployed overseas, and their votes, while likely still in the mail, must be counted.

The last day for counties to certify election results is November 23. That may only be the end of the first chapter for Washington’s Senate election.

Follow me on Twitter at @zacholdham