Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham conceded defeat Tuesday to Sen. Thom Tillis in a highly contested U.S. Senate race.
The lawyer and retired Army lieutenant colonel said he called Tillis to congratulate him on his win.
"The voters have spoken and I respect their decision," Cunningham said. "While the results of this election suggest there remain deep political divisions in our state and nation, the complete story of our country lies in what unites us: our faith and sense of confidence in our democracy, our civic values and common humanity, our shared aspiration to care for one another, and our belief that we live in a country that does exceptional things."
With 98% of votes counted, Tillis had 2,642,884 votes or 48.71% to Cunningham's 2,547,594 votes or 46.95%, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
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The presidential vote in the state is close enough that many major media outlets have not called the race for either President Donald Trump (49.96%) or President-elect Joe Biden (48.59%).
Tillis acknowledged his win on Twitter, saying he wishes the best for Cunningham and his family.
"I am incredibly humbled by the chance to serve the people of North Carolina in the United States Senate for six more years and I pledge to continue keeping my promises and delivering results," Tillis tweeted.
"I know that my job is fighting for the jobs of the hardworking people of our state, which is why my first post-election priority will be defeating COVID-19 and getting the economy back on track."
Tillis was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014 and before that was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, serving as speaker starting in 2011.
