Democrat Dan McCready conceded the race for the 9th Congressional District seat to Republican Mark Harris on Wednesday evening.
Harris defeated McCready by 1,860 votes.
Harris finished with 49.4 percent of the vote; McCready won 48.7 percent. The Republican took Union and Bladen Counties. McCready garnered 48.7 percent of the vote and 136,478 votes, having won Mecklenburg, Anson, Richmond, Scotland, Robeson and Cumberland counties.
In his concession speech, McCready comforted supporters, but warned them not to give up hope.
“Today, it’s okay to be disappointed. It’s okay to be exhausted – I am,” McCready said. “It’s okay to be angry, sad and frustrated, but it’s not okay to give up.”
He applauded them for their hard work, saying that it emphasized North Carolinians hope for change and made a difference.
“We didn’t win this campaign today, but there’s no doubt in my mind that our effort these past months have moved this country forward,” he said.
McCready said there’s more left for Democrats and his supporters to do, even with Harris in Washington D.C.
“Know that our mission doesn’t end here today,” the Democrat said, inspiring an applause from his audience, “Know that it continues.”