With a concession speech in Northern Virginia by Republican Ed Gillespie, the U.S. Senate race is officially over, and Democrat Mark Warner will be entering his second term as a U.S. Senator.
Initially, Gillespie was going to hold out until all of the local vote canvassing was completed. But he said after seeing that Warner's lead had grown even more since election day, it was time to call it quits.
He said they even looked at reported voting irregularities across Virginia. He congratulated Warner and wished his family well, and thanked his campaign staff and workers. He said losing is never easy, but it's made easier knowing his family is there for him,
Gillespie said when he last checked the official tally, Warner was ahead by 16,700 votes—too many to overcome in a recount.