California Sen. Dianne Feinstein declared herself the winner of the most expensive Senate race in history Friday, 10 days after the polls closed.
The Democratic incumbent finally claimed victory over Republican multimillionaire Michael Huffington, who spent more than $24 million of his own fortune bankrolling his campaign.Although Feinstein was narrowly leading Huffington after the Nov. 8 election, Feinstein had not claimed victory until now because some 700,000 absentee ballots remained to be counted.
"Today I believe that the vote count clearly indicates that I shall continue to represent California as its senior U.S. senator," Feinstein, 61, told cheering supporters at a belated victory rally at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel.
"But in declaring victory I do so not with boasts or exhilaration, but with somber commitment to all the people of California," she said.
Feinstein said last week's election was unprecedented for "the huge political sea change that rolled across the nation."
The California secretary of state's office said Friday that Feinstein was leading Huffington with 46.8 percent of the vote to his 44.9 percent.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Huffington fights on
Republican Senate candidate Michael Huffington said Friday he will investigate the results of the Nov. 8 election, saying he was concerned about possible "massive voting irregularities."
In a statement shortly after Democratic incumbent Dianne Feinstein claimed victory, Huffington pointedly did not concede defeat.
He said he had received substantial, credible evidence "regarding problems in the election with large numbers of noncitizens voting."