Doug Hoffman, the unsuccessful Conservative Party candidate in the recent NY-23 special election, has now conceded the race to Democrat Bill Owens — for a second time.
Owens was sworn in two and a half weeks ago, after Hoffman had conceded the election. The correction of routine clerical errors, however, narrowed Owens’ margin from 5,000 votes to about 3,000, leading Hoffman to take back his concession. He furthermore accused ACORN of stealing the election.
In his new statement, Hoffman acknowledges that Owens did indeed win. Hoffman wishes the Democrat well, thanks his own supporters, and also calls upon the election officials to avoid mistakes in the future:
“Yesterday, the remaining ballots were counted in the 23rd Congressional District special election. The results re-affirm the fact that Bill Owens won.
Since, the morning of November 4th, many of my supporters have asked me to challenge the outcome of this race. Their concerns centered on the veracity of the new voting machines used, for the first time, in the majority of the eleven counties that make up the Congressional District. Over the past three weeks, we nearly cut Bill Owens’ lead in half. Sadly, that is not enough.
The shift in support since election night highlights one fact; the Boards of Elections, both state and county, need to work closely to ensure the seamless use of these machines in the 2010 statewide and midterm elections.
I would like to thank my supporters for everything they did over the past four months. They proved that average Americans can stand up and make their voices heard, all the way from Watertown to Washington. They proved that the voters are sick and tired of wasteful government spending, high taxes and an ever growing deficit. And most importantly, that when it comes to politics: principles do matter.
While we may have lost the election, this race proved that Americans are sick and tired of the status quo in both Albany and Washington.
Thursday, America celebrates Thanksgiving. It’s a time to reflect on the bounty and the beauty of this nation and all we have to be grateful for. High on my list will be all those that supported me in this race.
I would also like to extend holiday wishes to all the residents of the 23rd Congressional District, to Congressman Owens and his family, and to all the media who tirelessly covered this race.
I plan to stay active in politics and in the weeks and months ahead hope to be able to personally thank all those who made this race so close and exciting.”
