Hoffman Accepts Defeat

By Elizabeth Benjamin
After taking back his election night concession to Democrat Rep. Bill Owens and threatening to challenge the results of the NY-23 recanvass, Conservative Doug Hoffman is finally ready to call it quits - once and for all.
'Yesterday, the remaining ballots were counted in the 23rd Congressional District special election,' Hoffman said in a statement released by his campaign. 'The results re-affirm the fact that Bill Owens won.'

'Since, the morning of November 4th, many of my supporters have asked me to challenge the outcome of this race. Their concerns centered on the veracity of the new voting machines used, for the first time, in the majority of the eleven counties that make up the Congressional District.'
'Over the past three weeks, we nearly cut Bill Owens' lead in half. Sadly, that is not enough.'
'The shift in support since election night highlights one fact; the Boards of Elections, both state and county, need to work closely to ensure the seamless use of these machines in the 2010 statewide and midterm elections.'
Hoffman blew his self-imposed Monday deadline for announcing his intentions. He had previously suggested the election was somehow stolen by the Democrats and their labor allies, particularly the right's Public Enemy No. 1 of the moment: ACORN.
Hoffman has already raised the possibility that he might seek a re-match. In his statement today, he said the following:"
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