Congressman Cliff Stearns on Wednesday conceded defeat to newcomer and tea party candidate Ted Yoho in the Republican primary for Congressional District 3.
Stearns, a 12- term incumbent who moved north to vie for the sprawling district seat, was trailing the large animal veterinarian by 831 votes Wednesday afternoon in a nail biter of a primary for the district that runs from Alachua County northeast to Clay County. But after a night of number crunching and strategizing, the seasoned veteran threw in the towel.
“Based upon the results from last night, it would appear that there are not enough provisional ballots to make up the difference for me to win this primary election,” Stearns said in a statement released after he talked to Yoho. “Therefore, I am conceding the election to Ted Yoho and I talked with him wishing him the best in his effort to represent the wonderful people of north central Florida. I have had an excellent and rewarding experience working in Congress for my fellow Floridians.”
