Democrat Sara Gideon has conceded the Maine Senate race to Republican Sen. Susan Collins in one of the most competitive and closely watched races in the fight for control of the Senate, denying Democrats a top takeover opportunity and significantly narrowing their path to the majority.
“Just now, I spoke with Senator Collins. I congratulated her on winning this election,” Gideon said in a concession speech Wednesday afternoon.
“While we came up short, I do believe that Mainers in every corner of this state are ready to continue to work together to make a difference,” she said.
She also tweeted: “I’m proud of the campaign we ran, regardless of the result.”
Collins’ office confirmed the Democratic challenger had called her to concede, and the senator announced she had won reelection in Maine at a Wednesday news conference in Bangor.
“I want to publicly thank Sara for her call, we had a good time, and I very much appreciated her taking the time to call,” Collins said.
“Let me say what an extraordinary honor it is to represent the great state of Maine and to know that I will have the opportunity to serve all of Maine for the next six years,” she added.
