Arizona GOP Sen. Martha McSally announced on Friday that she had conceded her special election Senate race to former astronaut Mark Kelly, relenting after 10 days and less than 80,000 votes behind out of more than 3.3 million cast.
''With nearly all the votes counted, I called Mark Kelly this morning to congratulate him on winning this race,'' the 54-year-old McSally said in a statement on her campaign website. ''I also offered support in his transition to ensure Arizonans are best served during this time. I wish him all the best.''
McSally was appointed to the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of John McCain in 2018 — who won a sixth term in 2016 — and temporarily filled for four months by former Sen. Jon Kyl.
She reached the rank of colonel in the U.S. Air Force flying A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack planes in Iraq and, after retiring from the military, won two terms in the House of Representatives.
''While falling short, I am deeply humbled to have received the second most votes ever cast by Arizonans for a statewide race,'' she said. ''I am thankful for the more than 1.6 million Arizonans who voted for me and everyone who dedicated their time, resources, and prayers to our campaign. Like nearly everything in my life, it was a high-risk, high-purpose fight. Thank you to all my faithful wingmen and wingwomen. I am proud of our effort, as we truly left it all out on the field.''
Kelly, 56, the husband of former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, will finish the last two years of McCain’s term. He was one of two Democrats to defeat incumbent Republicans, while former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, a Republican, ousted Democrat Doug Jones.
The results give Republicans 50 seats with two in Georgia that will have to be decided by a runoff election in January since no candidate received more than 50% of the vote.
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