Republican Tom Emmer pushed aside questions Tuesday about whether he's willing to go to court over the Minnesota governor's race, saying they were premature ahead of a forthcoming recount. 
 
 Former Sen. Mark Dayton listens as his running mate addresses the media at the State Capitol Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010 in St. Paul, Minn. Dayton expressed belief that he won the gubernatorial race against... (Associated Press) 
 
 Emmer, who trails Democrat Mark Dayton by 8,750 votes, said there are enough concerns about the current tally to let the process play out. 
 
 "I don't know what is going to happen," Emmer said in his first public appearance since Tuesday's election. "All I know is, at the end of the day Minnesotans need to have confidence this was done in a fair, open and honest manner." 
 
 He added, "It's very possible the outcome could be that we're in the governor's office. By the same token, the outcome could be that I'm looking for a job." 
 
 A recount is automatic if the margin is less than half a percentage point, as it is expected to be when the results are certified later this month. 
 
 Both sides are gearing up for the postelection fight likely to stretch into December and possibly beyond. And both candidates say they are engaging in a transition process so they will be ready to govern once the winner is declared. 
 
 Minnesota Republicans added muscle to their recount team Tuesday, hiring former Chief Justice Eric Magnuson as the top litigator on Emmer's behalf. Magnuson served on the state canvassing board during the 2008 recount that resulted in Democrat Al Franken's Senate victory. Magnuson, an appointee of outgoing Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, stepped down from the state Supreme Court last summer, citing personal reasons. 
 
 The Republican legal team is led by Washington lawyer Michael Toner. 
 
 Emmer said he is "involved" in decisions regarding his candidacy but declined to characterize himself as "in charge." His recount efforts are being coordinated by the state Republican Party. 
 
 "There's going to be more people than just one ultimately," Emmer said of the decision-making process. 
 
 Dayton has retained lawyers who worked for Franken two years ago and set up a recount team distinct from the state party. 
 
 "I'm responsible for my campaign. I'm responsible for the recount. I'm responsible ultimately for the decisions made regarding the recount," Dayton said. 
 
 Dayton has also formally opened a fundraising account to finance activities related to the expected recount. An adviser filed a form with the Internal Revenue Service on Monday to establish the Dayton Recount Fund. No similar account exists for Emmer. 
 
 The Dayton filing was made by Ken Martin, who is heading the former senator's recount team. State campaign regulators have previously said that normal fundraising rules, including donation limits, don't apply to a recount. 
 
 For the second straight day, Pawlenty met privately with one of the men who could succeed him. He had a discussion with Emmer on Monday and spent an hour with Dayton on Tuesday. 
 
 Dayton said Pawlenty offered perspective on the state budget, security matters and even a tour of the governor's mansion. 
 
 "The clock is ticking here. We're now less than two months away until Jan. 3," Dayton said. "There's a huge amount to do in terms of addressing personnel and addressing the budget." 
 
 Dayton said he'll begin working toward building an administration but isn't at the point of offering cabinet posts to anyone. He said he plans to meet Wednesday with budget officials from previous administrations to get their advice. 
 
 Pawlenty said he wants to help both men get ready to take the reins. He's made top budget officials and other advisers available to discuss a transition complicated by the recount. 
 
 If the race isn't resolved by the scheduled Jan. 3 inaugural, Pawlenty would see his term as governor extended. ||||| Eight congressional races remain undecided one week after election day, though Republicans appear set to add to their historic gains.Seven races for the House are yet uncalled by the Associated Press, and Democrats were defending all seven. Of that group, only two Democrats lead their Republican opponents, with the average vote differential being fewer than 600 votes in each.In California's 11th district, two-term incumbent Democrat Jerry McNerney has a 624-vote lead over Republican David Harmer, with absentee and provisional ballots still being counted. In the Kentucky 6th district, Democrat Ben Chandler led Republican Andy Barr by 643 votes.Of the five incumbents trailing, Illinois Rep. Melissa Bean has the smallest deficit to overcome, 347 votes out of more than 200,000 in the 8th district. Republican challenger Joe Walsh claims victory, but Bean's campaign is waiting for a final count of absentee ballots that won't come for more than a week.Rep. Tim Bishop trails Republican Randy Altschuler by fewer than 400 votes in New York's 1st district. His campaign was in court Tuesday requesting a hand recount of all ballots.Other Democrats on the cusp of defeat are Jim Costa (Calif.), Dan Maffei (N.Y.) and Solomon Ortiz ( Texas).An eighth race, in North Carolina's 2nd district, has been called for Republican Renee Ellmers over incumbent Bob Etheridge . But Etheridge, trailing by more than 1,600 votes, is expected to seek a recount.If all current leads hold, Democrats would likely hold 191 seats in the new Congress, while Republicans would hold 244. That would be a net gain of 63 seats for the GOP, which will hold the majority in the House for the first time since 2006.Two key statewide contests also remain undecided. In Minnesota, the gubernatorial race between Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer appears headed toward a recount. Dayton lead by 8,751 votes at the start of the day. He was assembling a transition team while Emmer was beefing up a legal team. It's a case of déjà vu in a state where the 2008 Senate race was not settled until well into 2009.The Alaska Senate race is still weeks from being decided, as the state begins sifting through absentee ballots Tuesday. A plurality of ballots were cast for a write-in candidate, and the state is expected to begin working on Wednesday to determine how many were properly cast for incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski . Republican nominee Joe Miller had about 13,000 fewer votes than the total number of write-in ballots.
– More than a week after America went to the polls, seven House races are still too close to call and two statewide elections are undecided. The results look certain to make the historic Republican win in the House even bigger, the Los Angeles Times notes, with Democratic candidates defending all seven districts and leading in just two—California's 11th and Kentucky's 6th. The differential is fewer than 700 votes in most races; a 10th race in North Carolina's 2nd has been called for the Republican, but a recount is expected. Alaska is preparing to examine write-in ballots to decide its Senate race; in Minnesota, the last unresolved governor's race in the nation shows no sign of being decided anytime soon, the AP reports. Republican Tom Emmer trails Democrat Mark Dayton by 8,750 votes—well within the margin for a recount—and the fight is expected to continue into December. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has held transition talks with both men and may have to extend his term if the race isn't resolved by Jan. 3.