Anthony Brindisi (D-NY) has conceded to former Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) in the race for New York’s 22nd Congressional District.
Brindisi’s concession comes three months after the election was held in the Empire State. With a margin of 109 votes, Tenney was declared the winner last week by a judge.
In a statement announcing his concession, Brindisi said he hopes Tenney will work with those in the district, no matter political party, to “heal the deep divisions that exist in our country.” He said:
Today I congratulated Claudia Tenney and offered to make the transition process as smooth as possible on behalf of our community. I hope that she will be a Representative for all the people of this district, not just those that agree with her point of view, and work with members of both parties to heal the deep divisions that exist in our country.
Brindisi also thanked his supporters, claiming “this election and counting process was riddled with errors, inconsistencies and systematic violations of state and federal election laws.” He continued:
My one disappointment is that the court did not see fit to grant us a recount. Sadly, we may never know how many legal voters were turned away at the polls or ballots not counted due to the ineptitude of the boards of election, especially in Oneida County. My hope is some authority steps in and investigates the massive disenfranchisement of voters that took place during this election.
Brinidisi concluded his statement by insisting that he has “always put politics aside and put the people first.”
“It is time to close the book on this election and focus on building a better community and more united country for our children,” Brindisi said.
Tenney responded to Brindisi’s concession statement in a tweet, saying Brindisi “graciously offered to help ensure a smooth transition and I look forward to working with him over the coming days to complete that process on behalf of everyone in NY22.”
The state board of electors voted Monday to certify Tenney as the winner of the race. The four commissioners on the board voted 4-0 to certify that Tenney, who received 156,098 votes, won the election by a thin margin of 109 votes over Brindisi, who garnered 155,989 votes.
National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Tom Emmer (R-MN) said in a statement last week:
Congratulations to Claudia Tenney on her victory in New York’s 22nd District. Claudia is a proven fighter for upstate New York who will pick up right where she left off delivering bipartisan solutions for her district. I am delighted to welcome Claudia back to Washington and look forward to working alongside her once again.
Tenney’s success over Brindisi is a significant victory for House Republicans, as the House Democrat majority shrinks to nine seats.
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