Yachimovich, Peretz go to runoff, as Labor primaries yield no winner

The primaries held Monday for leadership of the Labor party yielded inconclusive results as none of the candidates won the 40 percent of the votes required to head the political faction. A runoff between the leading candidates, MK Shelly Yachimovich, who garnered 32% of the votes, and MK Amir Peretz with 31%, was scheduled for next Wednesday.

Peretz on Tuesday lashed out at Yachimovich, his former protegee, accusing her of resorting to the "lowest possible tactics in Israeli politics" and of strong-arming voters.

"I always bring people to the party who I believe can contribute. I brought Shelly to the party; I cultivated and raised her, and then she utilized the tools I gave her," Peretz told Army Radio. "I didn't bring her in because I thought she wasn't a threat to me, but on Monday people were strong-armed into voting for Shelly Yacimovich at the ballot box."

Yachimovich's camp rejected the allegations as "baseless," releasing a statement saying she would continue to lead a "clean and ideological" campaign.

The primaries on Monday were the Labor party's first since Defense Minister Ehud Barak stepped down as Labor chairman in January and formed his own Independence (Atzma'ut) party.

With most of the results of Monday's voting in, former journalist Yachimovich led with 32% of the votes, while Peretz was a close second with 31%. Issac (Buji) Herzog followed in third place with 25% of the votes and Amram Mitzna, another former party leader, received only 12% of the votes.

In total, 43,391 Labor party members (65% of those eligible) voted in 171 polling stations throughout the country.

Herzog is expected to be the key to the runoff next Wednesday between Yachimovich and Peretz, although he has not yet announced which of the candidates he plans to support.

All four candidates, some accompanied by family members, arrived at polling stations near their homes to cast their votes on Monday. Analysts had predicted that a high voter turnout would be beneficial both to Yachimovich and Mitzna. Conversely, a low turnout was predicted to benefit Peretz and Herzog.

Each candidate's headquarters campaigned to get out the vote and offered to help transport voters to voting stations as well. Despite the relatively smooth voting process, arguments, disruptions, and complaints were reported at some locations, mainly among Peretz and Herzog supporters.

In the morning hours, Yachimovich tried to persuade her supporters to vote. "At this point, it is important to consider each and every supporter, and even though he or she may have returned from a tiring night of work, even though they may have taken their child to the kindergarten, or are home after exercising at the gym, every vote is important," Yachimovich said.

"No one should think they don't have to vote, because the situation appears good," she added. "The results will not be determined by surveys or moods, but by one ballot, and another ballot, and so on, leading up to our victory."

Yachimovich estimated that she was in the lead during the day. "According to our estimates, our supporters are coming out to vote in large numbers and we are clearly ahead in the race. Amir [Peretz] is also receiving a high number of votes, and we are seeing a gradual decline in Herzog and Mitzna supporters," Yachimovich said.

Peretz cast his ballot in his city of residence, Sderot. At a meeting with supporters in Yeruham, in the Negev, Peretz said, "It is amazing that every place we go that is associated with the Right, there is a lot of disappointment with Netanyahu."

Peretz said his target for the next national elections was 19 mandates for the Labor party.

Mitzna: I will support whoever is elected

After casting his vote in the morning, Amram Mitzna, himself a former Labor party leader, traveled to different parts of the country, including Daliyat al-Karmel, Tel Aviv, Mevaseret Zion, Jerusalem, Ashdod, and other locations, to observe polling station activities.

Mitzna conceded defeat overnight Monday and told his supporters that he would stand by whoever won the elections.

Herzog hoped to make it to the second round

After casting his ballot in Tel Aviv, Issac Herzog visited the grave of his father, the late President Chaim Herzog, together with his mother, Ora. Afterward, during a visit to Haifa, Herzog said the reactions he was receiving were positive. "We are identifying a wave of support in our direction. If I make it to the second round, I will win the election," Herzog said.

Reactions in other parties

Likud party members believe that if Yachimovich wins, Kadima will be weakened. The theory is supported by recent surveys which clearly indicate that if Yachimovich won the election, the Labor party would steal ten mandates or more from Kadima.

Kadima, and especially its chairwoman Tzipi Livni, is hoping that Peretz will win the elections. A win by Peretz was not expected to detract from Kadima's mandates, and would, they believe, weaken the Likud.

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