what was the initial result of the presidential election in 2000?

a. there was a clear winner.
b. a third-party candidate won.
c. it was close and controversial.
d. it was close, but not controversial.

C. It was close and controversial.

Explanation:

The two major-party candidates for president, Vice President Albert Gore Jr., the Democrat, and Texas governor George W. Bush, the son of the former Republican president, presented contrasting views on the role of the federal government, tax cuts, environmental policies, and the best way to preserve Social Security and Medicare.

In the end, the election created high drama. The television networks initially reported that Gore had narrowly won the state of Florida and its decisive twenty-five electoral votes. Later in the evening, however, the networks reversed themselves, saying that Florida was too close to call. In the chaotic early-morning hours, the networks declared that Bush had been elected president. Gore called Bush to concede, only to issue a retraction a short time later when it appeared that the results in Florida remained a toss-up. The final tally in Florida showed Bush with a razor-thin lead, and state law required a recount. For the first time in 125 years, the results of a presidential election remained in doubt for weeks after the voting.