In a race that was never supposed to be as close as it ended up being, Republican candidate Ed Gillespie officially conceded to Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) on Friday, accepting that the margin of just 16,700 votes (out of 2 million cast) would not be reversed with a recount. “The votes just aren’t there,” Gillespie said, after calling Warner to congratulate him on his victory.
The former chairman of the Republican National Committee was polling for below the Democratic incumbent heading into Tuesday’s election, but days later the race remained too close to call. Had he won, Gillespie would have added to the Republicans’ newfound majority in the Senate.
Warner’s win brings the total number of Democrats in the Senate to 46 with 52 Republicans and two races — Alaska and Louisiana — still undecided.
[Photo via Wikimedia Commons]
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