The Associated Press has called the race for Michigan governor for Democratic incumbent Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Whitmer defeated Republican challenger Tudor Dixon, who, earlier in the night and trailing Whitmer by thousands of votes, said she would wait for more ballots to be counted in key areas like Kent and Macomb counties before conceding the race.
Whitmer had made abortion rights a centerpiece of her campaign. In the final debate of the gubernatorial campaign, the race crystallized around that and other key social issues.
In the closing weeks before Election Day, polls showed the race tightening, even as Democrats far outspent the Republican challenger.
Republican Tudor Dixon released a statement Wednesday morning conceding the race:
"I called Governor Whitmer this morning to concede and wish her well.
Michigan’s future success rests not in elected officials or government, but all of us. It is incumbent upon all of us to help our children read, support law enforcement, and grow our economy.
Thank you to our volunteers and supporters for working so hard to forge a better Michigan. We came up short, but we will never stop fighting for our families."
Dixon previously cast doubt on the results of the 2020 presidential election, a lie that has been promoted by former President Donald Trump.
