The morning of November 4, with a narrow 910-vote lead in the race and more than 100,000 ballots outstanding, Mike McGinn had breakfast with campaign volunteers in the back room at Cafe Presse on Capitol Hill. Then he went downtown to the Mercury Group on Second Avenue, the political consulting firm that worked on his campaign. We talked in a big, windowless conference room that looked not unlike an abandoned war zone. McGinn, serene and tired and dimly beaming, erased debate-prep notes from the white board walls (I had to agree to them being off the record), and sat down at one end of the conference table. After we talked, he ate a sandwich standing up in the Mercury Group's kitchen along with some of the firm's staff, and then left to be with his family. A staffer sent a note to the media shortly thereafter that said he would be spending two days with his family and would not be available to the press again until Friday.

This is the only interview he's given since the election. Among the things we discussed: Pete Holmes's victory, what he thinks of Richard Conlin, whether the power establishment that coalesced around Mallahan has started jockeying for his favor, and what his transition team will look like should his lead hold.

The whole thing is HERE.

(Photo by Kristen Blush. Click to enlarge.)