Republican Martha McSally won the last unresolved House race of the 2014 midterm election, ousting Democratic Rep. Ron Barber the Arizona district once represented by Gabby Giffords.
Her win means the GOP will hold 247 seats once the new Congress is in place in January, while Democrats have just 188 seats.
McSally’s lead after the initial tally was 161 votes. That triggered an automatic recount, and the Maricopa County Superior Court announced Wednesday her lead had expanded to a final count of 167 votes.
Giffords represented the district from 2007 through her 2012 resignation after she was wounded in a Tucson shooting. Barber, who was Giffords’ district director, then won the seat in Arizona’s battleground 2nd District.
“There’s no getting around that this was an incredibly close and hard-fought race,” McSally said in a statement after the results were announced. “After what’s been a long campaign season, it’s time to come together and heal our community. That’s why my focus will be on what unites us, not what divides us, such as providing better economic opportunity for our families and ensuring our country and community are kept safe.”
Barber said in a statement that he’d conceded to McSally and congratulated her on Wednesday.
“This result is not the one we hoped for, but we take solace in having spoken out loud and clear for the principle that every legal vote should be counted,” he said.
