Dearling Concedes

CNS Senate candidate ends legal challenge, NAT holds on to seat

CLOTHEN, LIAL--The battle for the Senate in Lial is now over, after Conservative candidate John Dearling ended his legal challenge to the previous vote certification and conceded to Nationalist Henry Mickeravi.

Dearling made the announcement Friday afternoon in Clothen, after previously denying rumors he would concede.

"I have decided, after much thought and discussion with my team and my family that the best option for the people of Lial is for me to stand down and concede to Mr. Mickeravi," Dearling said at his press conference. "A long, drawn-out court battle would most likely not change the outcome of the race and that's not something the people of Lial want to be put through."

His announcement means Mickeravi will likely be sworn in to the Senate on Monday, as NAT leaders had originally planned. He will replace out-going Senator Juslana Thompson-N, who left the Senate to become Ambassador to Japan.

Turnout for the special Senate election, held February 2, was higher than expected, with about 40%, or more than 3.5 million voters, according to Secretary of State Alan Dillon. The initial count on election night showed Mickeravi leading Dearling 50.44% to 49.56%, a difference of about 30,000 votes. Dearling refused to concede, citing uncounted overseas and military ballots.

The Dearling campaign also filed legal challenges in Darrington and Shepard Counties, alleging voter fraud and counting discrepancies. The Mickeravi campaign also filed suit in Hayman County with a similar complaint.

Trials in the three lawsuits began last week, but no decisions were have been handed down yet.

Initially, the Dearling campaign vowed to not concede until the courts' rulings were released, saying Dearling would "not even consider conceding until every vote is counted." But on Friday, he reversed his earlier plans and did just that.

"It's disappointing, but I respect the will of the people and I believe it's in the best interest of the people of Lial," Dearling said Friday evening at Rudmere International Airport in Clothen.

The Mickeravi campaign welcomed the news.

"We applaud John Dearling for doing the right thing and we thank him for running an honorable race," Jared Colmes, a spokesman for the campaign said in a statement Friday evening.

Mr. Mickeravi was at his eastern Lial home when Dearling made the announcement, Colmes said. Colmes added that Dearling phoned Mickeravi and the two had a "pleasurable" conversation that lasted about 15 minutes.

In a statement later Friday evening, Mr. Mickeravi thanked his opponent for conceding and pledged to work on behalf of all Lialans.

"I want to thank John Dearling. He ran a great campaign and he brought a lot of issues to the conversation and he is a good man," Mickeravi said. "I also want to thank the great people of the state of Lial for electing me and I promise, from day one, to serve with dignity and honor and to represent our interests to my fullest ability."

A small celebration was held in Mickeravi's honor in Monvaille Friday night, but the senator-elect was not present. He was reportedly at home, preparing to fly out to Mavocke the next day to meet with Nationalist Senate leaders.