Republican Tom Foley announced Monday afternoon he will not seek a recount or legal challenge in the Connecticut governor’s race, and conceded to Democrat Dan Malloy.
“The election on Tuesday, although very close, was a conclusive victory for Dan Malloy, and should not be questioned,” Foley said, telling reporters he would call Malloy to congratulate him.
“The election on Tuesday, although very close, was a conclusive victory for Dan Malloy, and should not be questioned,” Foley said, telling reporters he would call Malloy to congratulate him.
Foley’s concession marks the end to a complicated saga that unfolded after Tuesday’s election. First, Malloy appeared squarely ahead, then Foley was briefly on top, then new numbers quickly put Malloy back in the lead. The Associated Press called the race for the Democratic former Stamford mayor on Friday after withdrawing its initial call in his favor on Wednesday.
The race hinged on questions over provisional ballots, particularly in Bridgeport, where polling places ran out of ballots and had to use photocopied ballots and keep polling places open later than scheduled. An uncounted bag of ballots was found there late on Thursday as well, but the vast majority of those went to Malloy once tallied.
Foley alluded to the voting irregularities in his statement Monday, but he admitted that even if those ballots were thrown out, the outcome would remain unchanged. The former U.S. ambassador to Ireland said his legal team had reviewed the ballots in Bridgeport and several other towns where there were possible irregularities, but that ultimately he came up short.
“We have determined towns that are likely to amend their results, but not by more than several hundred votes,” Foley said.
The latest totals from the secretary of state’s office gave Malloy a lead of more than 5,600 votes — well outside the margin needed to trigger an automatic recount.
State Republicans on Friday began asking the U.S. attorney’s office to investigate the voting irregularities, but Foley reiterated at the news conference that he hoped his supporters would back his decision and accept Malloy as the winner.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44841.html#ixzz2H88JV8eU
The race hinged on questions over provisional ballots, particularly in Bridgeport, where polling places ran out of ballots and had to use photocopied ballots and keep polling places open later than scheduled. An uncounted bag of ballots was found there late on Thursday as well, but the vast majority of those went to Malloy once tallied.
Foley alluded to the voting irregularities in his statement Monday, but he admitted that even if those ballots were thrown out, the outcome would remain unchanged. The former U.S. ambassador to Ireland said his legal team had reviewed the ballots in Bridgeport and several other towns where there were possible irregularities, but that ultimately he came up short.
“We have determined towns that are likely to amend their results, but not by more than several hundred votes,” Foley said.
The latest totals from the secretary of state’s office gave Malloy a lead of more than 5,600 votes — well outside the margin needed to trigger an automatic recount.
State Republicans on Friday began asking the U.S. attorney’s office to investigate the voting irregularities, but Foley reiterated at the news conference that he hoped his supporters would back his decision and accept Malloy as the winner.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44841.html#ixzz2H88JV8eU