Brindisi concedes to Tenney in race for New York’s final uncalled congressional seat

(The Center Square) – Former U.S. Rep. Anthony Brindisi congratulated U.S. Rep.-elect Claudia Tenney on her victory in New York’s 22nd Congressional District election on Monday and promised a “smooth as possible” transition for the Republican lawmaker who reclaimed her old seat two years after the Utica Democrat defeated her.

Brindisi sought an injunction against having the election results certified, a motion a state judge denied on Friday. At the time, he was trailing the New Hartford Republican by just 109 votes in the last remaining congressional election yet to be decided.

The state Board of Elections voted earlier in the day to certify the count, which showed Tenney with 156,098 votes to 155,989 for the incumbent Brindisi.

He said in a statement Monday remains disappointed the courts did not approve a recount in the race.

“Sadly, we may never know how many legal voters were turned away at the polls or ballots not counted due to the ineptitude of the Boards of Election, especially in Oneida County,” he said. “My hope is some authority steps in and investigates the massive disenfranchisement of voters that took place during this election.”

Brindisi added that he hopes Tenney, who served on Capitol Hill for two years before losing reelection in 2018, would work to serve the entire district and with both Republicans and Democrats who want “to heal the deep divisions” currently existing in the country.

In her own statement on Twitter, Tenney thanked her opponent for the call and for his work the past two years.

“I look forward to working with him over the coming days to complete that process on behalf of everyone in NY22,” she said.

With Brindisi’s concession, it lowers the possibility of any challenge to Tenney’s seating in Washington. It’s uncertain yet when Tenney would be sworn into office.

With the central New York seat now filled, Democrats hold a 221-211 majority in the U.S. House with three seats vacant. The most recent vacancy occurred Sunday with the death of Texas Republican U.S. Rep. Ron Wright due to COVID-19.

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