Attorney General-elect Mark Herring
Republican candidate Mark Obenshain is expected to release a statement and concede the Virginia attorney general election to Democrat Mark Herring around 3:00 p.m. today. As the recount progressed Herring increased his 165 vote lead to over 800 votes as the recount drew to an end.
Few contested ballots remain that would make up the difference.
Marc Elias, the lead counsel for Attorney General-elect Mark Herring, released the following statement tonight:
“As of 6:30 p.m. [Tuesday], Attorney General-elect Mark Herring is now up 866 votes overall, with 73% of the votes recounted statewide.
“Today, as recounting began statewide, and continued in Alexandria, Chesapeake, and Fairfax, both candidates continued to pick up votes. Over the course of the recount, there have been 1,133 more votes for Herring and 432 more for Obenshain, for a net gain for the two days for Herring of 701. Fewer than 120 ballots have been challenged for court review. This methodology assumes every ballot challenge fails. If you assumed every ballot challenge succeeded, Herring’s margin of victory would be 811 as of 6:30 p.m.
“This enormous undertaking has been conducted with great diligence by local election officials and with careful monitoring by hundreds of volunteers from both parties. It is our expectation that the recount court will take up this matter in the morning, begin the process of resolving ballot challenges, and ultimately declare Mark Herring the winner, for a third time in this historic race.”
Senator Mark Obenshain will retain his senate seat.
A special election for Herring’s 33rd district senate seat will be announced by Governor Bob McDonnell. Nominations have already taken place. Jennifer Wexton is the Democratic nominee. John Whitbeck is the Republican nominee and Joe May, a delegae who lost reelection in a primary is running as an Independent.
Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe statement:
“After a long wait, Virginians finally have their next Attorney General, and I could not be more pleased to congratulate my friend Mark Herring on his hard-fought victory.
“Attorney General-elect Herring ran a great campaign focused on keeping our communities safe and our economy strong. He will be a champion for that agenda and a great partner for Lieutenant Governor-elect Ralph Northam and me as we take office together on January 11th.
“I would also like to congratulate Senator Mark Obenshain on a hard fought campaign and for the professional manner in which he has approached the recount process. I have no doubt that there will be opportunities for all of us to work together for the good of the Commonwealth over these next four years.”
