And this is how the 2013 election ends:
State Sen. Mark D. Obenshain(R) will concede the race for Virginia attorney general to Democrat Mark R. Herring on Wednesday, according to two people familiar with the decision.
Obenshain’s announcement will put an end to a protracted contest that, on election night, was the closest statewide election in history. Obenshain campaign spokesman Paul Logan did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment Wednesday.
With Mark Herring piling up a wider lead in the recount, there was no plausible way Obenshain could have contested the results before the General Assembly (nevermind the rather novel suggestion that a new election for the office be held).
Obenshain remains the GOP frontrunner for the 2017 gubernatorial nomination. Accepting this result helps him solidify this position.
Update
Here is Mark’s statement following the recount. He’s a class act. Interesting to note how he bats down the idea of a contest — “Today is not the time to contest the process or question the results.”
And his words on the Virginia tradition of putting aside “old fights” and getting on with business are on target.
