MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Republican Tom Emmer conceded the race for Minnesota governor on Wednesday to Democrat Mark Dayton, forgoing further challenges to their tight November 2 contest.
Dayton, a former Senator from Minnesota, led Emmer, a conservative state representative with support from the Tea Party, by nearly 9,000 votes out of 2.1 million cast.
Emmer conceded at a news conference held outside his Delano, Minnesota, home, surrounded by tearful family members.
"Our campaign came from virtual obscurity to within 8,700 votes," Emmer said, adding he hoped the state would look closely at how elections are run.
Two years ago, a closely contested election for a Minnesota Senate seat dragged on for eight months before Republican incumbent Norm Coleman conceded to Democrat Al Franken following a recount.
Dayton will replace two-term Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty, who decided not to run again and is considered a possible 2012 presidential candidate.
The state faces a nearly $6.2 billion projected shortfall heading into its next two-year budget, due in part to delayed payments to schools and the end of federal stimulus funding. The current two-year budget will end June 30 with a $399 million budget surplus.
Emmer ran on a platform of smaller government.
Dayton's victory means 20 states will have Democratic governors, 29 states will be led by Republicans, and one state, Rhode Island, will have an independent as governor.
(Reporting by Ahndi Fridell and Karen Pierog; Writing by Andrew Stern; Editing by Jerry Norton)
