Republican challenger Richard Tisei has conceded the race in Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District to Democratic incumbent John Tierney. The contest between Tierney and Tisei remained too close to call until 2 a.m. on Nov. 7, when the Associated Press declared Tierney the winner by 3,650 votes.
But despite the Associated Press' declaration, Tisei did not concede the race until early Wednesday afternoon. Speaking to WGBH on election night about Tisei's reluctance to call the race, Tisei campaign manager Paul Moore cited concerns about a lack of communication with officials at polling places in Lynn. Moore also said the campaign wanted all military ballots to be counted before a winner was declared.
In a statement to the press, Tisei congratulated Tierney on his win, saying, "This has been a long, hard-fought battle and I believe that the voters deserve better representation in Washington. That's why I ran. Nonetheless, the election results are now fully in and Congressman Tierney retains a narrow lead. I congratulate him on his victory."
Tisei did mention his continuing trepidation about the clarity of election results from around the district, but said he would not initiate any investigation. "While I have concerns about reported irregularities in some areas of the district, I'll leave any investigation of those matters to others," Tierney stated. "I'll have no further comment on these matters."
In closing, Tisei expressed his support for his district's participation in the tight race. "I'm also grateful for all of those who've bravely stood up to be counted as we try to put our country back on track," Tisei said. "There is no substitute for citizen involvement in building a better country. I encourage every American to get involved, stay involved, and make a difference."
