Democratic Senate candidate Cal Cunningham on Tuesday conceded the North Carolina race to incumbent Republican Thom Tillis.
“Earlier this afternoon, Cal Cunningham called me to offer his concession,” Tillis said Tuesday in a statement. “This was a hard-fought campaign and I wish nothing but the best to Cal and his family going forward.”
The first-term incumbent, a frequent ally of President Trump, declared victory in the race over Cunningham, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve who served in the Iraq War, a week ago on Election Day before the race was called.
Cunningham, who is married with two children, faced a scandal during his campaign over sexually-charged text messages he admitted to sending to a married woman who was not his wife. Despite the controversy, however, the race remained close leading into Election Day.
Tillis tested positive for the coronavirus early last month but was cleared to return to the Capitol in time to vote on the upcoming Supreme Court nomination.