Republican Senate candidate John James on Tuesday conceded his race to Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, saying that while he still had questions about the voting, the state certified the results.
He said he wanted to see the legislature do a full review of the vote still.
“But it’s too late for me,” he said in a YouTube video three weeks after Election Day.
He, along with President Trump, had complained about voting irregularities and had held out hope that a review could change the tally in his favor, but state officials brought the count to an end on Monday.
Mr. James said he donated more than $1 million of his campaign money to charitable causes ahead of Thanksgiving.
And he recalled having shared a scotch with Mr. Peters at a Detroit Pistons game “a few years back.”
“So in the spirit of the holidays, senator, there’s a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label coming your way soon. Congratulations, sir,” Mr. James said.
Mr. Peters won the race by about 90,000 votes, out of about 5.5 million cast.
Republicans will hold at least 50 seats in the Senate next year and the Democratic Caucus will control at least 48. The final two seats — and full control of the chamber — rest on two special elections in Georgia in January.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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