HAMBURG, NY - In the rented storefront that served as his campaign headquarters during his race to unseat Rep. Chris Collins in NY’s 27th Congressional District, Nate McMurray stepped before his supporters late Tuesday night to thank them, and then to tell them “we’re going to come up a little bit short.”
That message changed just before 1:00 a.m. when McMurray tweeted that after examining the numbers, he is demanding a recount.
In a statement, the Collins campaign says, "After tearfully conceding and recognizing his own defeat, Nate McMurray is once again dancing to the tune of the angry mob that just can't accept the will of the voters. Congressman Collins is looking forward to serving NY-27 as he always has."
McMurray was initially given almost no shot of unseating Collins in one the heaviest republican districts in all of New York State.
LATEST: 2018 Election results
That changed when Collins was indicted on charges of insider trading and lying to the FBI, resulting in an extremely tight outcome.
Collins, who initially suspended his campaign as republican leaders in the eight county 27th scrambled to find a replacement, then decided to actively campaign again, and not cooperate with party leaders who sought to replace him on the ballot.
Collins campaigned on a message that a vote for McMurray, would be a vote toward turning control of the House of Representatives over to democrats, who would work to impeach President Trump, whom voters in the 27th overwhelmingly supported in 2016.
“I’m sad but I’m proud of what we did,” a dejected McMurray told WGRZ-TV in his first interview after conceding the race at 11pm Tuesday night. “I’m proud that we stood up to Mr. Collins and that so many people across Western New York joined us.”
“If you do the right thing and fight for what you believe in you can always hold your head up high and I’m proud that we did that,” McMurray said.
“When you have a guy who has got so much money pounding you and lying about you …I mean I barely recognize myself after those commercials he ran,” said McMurray, in reference to ads suggesting he would vote to impeach the President and take away 2nd Amendment rights, which are claims McMurray publicly denied throughout the campaign.
“There are always other opportunities to fight…there are always opportunities to do the right thing and I want my supporters not to give up, “said McMurray, who while at the podium referenced the movie Rocky.
The film starred Talia Shire, who came to campaign on McMurray’s behalf, as the wife of an underdog fighter who came close to upsetting a world heavyweight champion.
“He lost,” McMurray reminded supporters. “But remember…there was Rocky II."
But when asked by 2 on Your Side if he might enter another race against Collins, McMurray replied, I just want to take nap right now.”
Though the losers of political races customarily phone the winners to concede, McMurray said he did not phone Collins.
“I’m just like you,” said McMurray. “I can’t get ahold of the guy either."