Race for Congress brings an election-night concession

"We did it; we did it! We did it! We flipped New York 17!" Democrat Cait Conley exclaimed in her congressional victory speech late Tuesday night, speaking from Pleasantville. 

Republican Rep. Mike Lawler conceded to Conley just before 11 p.m., acknowledging that the outstanding vote in Westchester County would leave him short of reelection.

The race had not yet been called, with Westchester’s Election Day ballots still awaiting counting following Tuesday’s ballot-scanning problems. Counting those ballots was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The scanner issues forced voters at affected polling places to place their completed ballots in secure emergency bags for later counting.

“About 20 minutes ago, I called my opponent Cait Conley and offered my congratulations to her,” Lawler told supporters. “When all the votes are counted tomorrow in Westchester, it’s going to be pretty clear we will be short.”

Lawler noted that he had never been afforded an election-night concession by an opponent in any of his elections. He congratulated Conley and wished her well as the district’s next member of Congress.

Although Lawler led in the district’s portions of Dutchess, Putnam and Rockland counties, Conley held a commanding advantage in Westchester’s reported early vote.

Within Dutchess County’s portion of the congressional district, Lawler received 9,670 votes, or 55.27%, compared with Conley’s 7,811 votes, or 44.64%.

In Putnam County, Lawler received 21,548 votes, or 50.57%, while Conley received 20,696 votes, or 48.57%.

In Rockland County, Lawler received 65,226 votes, or 53.4%, compared with Conley’s 55,665 votes, or 45.57%.

Westchester’s early voting results reversed that advantage. Conley received 41,822 votes, or 69.24%, compared with Lawler’s 18,176 votes, or 30.09% — a lead of 23,646 votes in that portion of the county.

Combined, those reported returns put Conley ahead by 11,374 votes, with 125,994 votes to Lawler’s 114,620. Those totals remained unofficial and excluded Westchester’s outstanding Election Day ballots.