Musgrove announced the end of his Senate bid in front of his campaign’s Jackson headquarters. He was surrounded by family and staff members.
Musgrove said he waited to call the race until affidavit ballots were counted. He said realized late Tuesday night that he did not have the votes to win.
“Mississippians yesterday and Americans yesterday made their decisions and we respect those,” he said.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Wicker has 641,101 votes. Musgrove has 517,344 votes.
The special election determined who will serve the final four years of a Senate term left vacant by Trent Lott. Senators usually run for re-election every six years. But Wicker must now campaign again in 2012.
Musgrove said in his concession speech that he will continue to “fight and work hard to make Mississippi a better place.”
Adam Bozzi, a spokesman for the Musgrove campaign, did not say if that means Musgrove would run for another statewide office.
Clarion Ledger
11/5/8
Magnolia Tribune
