After nine days of uncertainty, George W. Bush’s campaign announced Thursday it will not seek a recount of the presidential vote in Iowa, surrendering the state to Al Gore by a narrow margin.

Bush was defeated in Iowa by about 4,000 votes out of more than 1.3 million cast, giving Gore a margin of victory of about three-tenths of 1 percent. With Iowa’s seven electoral votes securely counted in Gore’s column, Bush must take Florida’s 25 votes to get the 270 needed to claim the presidency.

The Bush campaign had three days after county election officials finished canvassing Monday and Tuesday to ask for a recount, according to the Iowa Code. After all Iowa elections, canvassing is held to recount each vote, catching most tally mistakes. This week’s canvassing only shifted about 1,000 votes between Bush and Gore.

“We’re obviously, as a Republican Party, disappointed that Gov. Bush didn’t win Iowa, but we’re satisfied with the certified election totals in the counties,” said Steve Roberts, national Republican committee member from Des Moines. “We are sufficiently satisfied that the results are accurate — we found no major discrepancies that haven’t already been picked up. The county auditors did a great job.”

Since Bush will not seek a recount, the canvassed vote counts will be certified by the state’s Executive Council Dec. 4. This election marks the fourth straight presidential election that the majority of Iowan voters have chosen Democrats.

“I think that if Bush thought that the vote in Iowa was unfair, he should have asked for a recount,” said ISU student Andy Tofilon, a Gore supporter. “This just shows that Bush thought the count in Iowa was fair, and Gore won the state.”

Both sides of the aisle said they agree Bush did the best thing, not only for Iowa, but the country.

“I think that [Bush] did the right thing, because it shouldn’t be drawn out,” said Charlie Johnson, vice president of ISU College Republicans. “We shouldn’t create a crisis. It’s more important to up hold the constitution than to keep [the recount] going until who you want is who wins.”

The finality in Iowa contrasts sharply with the ongoing recount in Florida, which is attracting attention around the country as well as the ISU campus.

“There should be an end to it soon,” said Johnson, sophomore in political science. “Once the absentee ballots are counted, it should come to an end.”

Tofilon, junior in journalism and mass communication, said the situation in Florida is an amazing one and should not be considered an embarrassment for Florida or the United States.

“We need to let it take its course and know who won the state of Florida,” he said. “There’s a reason why there is break between Nov. 8 and Jan. 20.”