TOMPKINS COUNTY, N.Y. –– Two more local races have been decided as of Friday, Nov. 13, with Anna Kelles being declared the winner in the New York State Assembly 125th District race over Libertarian and Republican candidate Matthew McIntyre, while Democratic challenger Tracy Mitrano officially conceded her race to incumbent Republican Tom Reed in the U.S. Congressional race for New York’s 23rd District.
Kelles was declared the victor by the Associated Press on Friday afternoon, issuing a press release in response to the news. She had built a large lead in Tompkins County after Election Day, and the race was called after Cortland County had finished counting its absentee ballots. Tompkins County, as far as has been reported, is still counting its ballots. Kelles bid for the office came after she won a heated Democratic primary that included 7 candidates all vying to replace longtime NYS Assembly member Barbara Lifton who announced she was retiring in January.
The final tally won’t be clear until Tompkins County finishes its count. In a press release, Kelles expressed her excitement at the race’s results.
“I am so honored by the overwhelming support of voters in Cortland and Tompkins Counties. I am grateful to our election workers for their tireless efforts to run a safe election during this pandemic and I send them my heartfelt thanks and admiration as they finish counting the last of the absentee ballots,” Kelles said. “I also want to express my deep gratitude to all of the members of our community who supported my campaign. I will work hard for everyone in our district to meet our needs, especially those that have been highlighted through this pandemic. I am excited to get to Albany in January and start working alongside my colleagues to make a difference in the lives of all of the people of the 125th District.”
Reed had already declared victory in the race against Mitrano, who he also bested in 2018. She expressed frustration at the campaign between she and Reed, alleging that he had engaged in personal attacks instead of dealing with policy. Mitrano had previously committed to not conceding until all of the absentee ballots had been counted, but would have had to wait until late next week to do so.
“Although the counting of absentee ballots continues to narrow the margin, the math has long pointed to a clear victory for my opponent,” Mitrano said. “Moreover, I have grown very impatient with waiting to thank my supporters and provide closure for all of us. Assured now that those absentee ballots are being counted in earnest, and that the process will soon end in an accurate count and a fair election, it is with that confidence that I now concede the 2020 Congressional District NY-23 election.”
There are still some outstanding races left to be determined, most notably the campaign between Leslie Danks Burke, a Democrat, and incumbent State Senator Tom O’Mara, for the New York State 58th District seat.