There's no clear winner in the 22nd District Congressional race between Democrat Francis Conole and Republican Brandon Williams.
Conole had a solid lead well into Tuesday evening until Oneida County cleared up a technical problem that put Williams on top by a narrow margin. Conole didn't take the stage until midnight at the Democratic party election night headquarters.
"Obviously, we would rather be celebrating tonight, but it is absolutely critical that every vote is counted, and we are waiting on one of our counties to make sure all our votes are counted," Conole said. "This is something that is fundamental to our democracy, and protecting our democracy has been something that has been fundamental to our campaign."
Meanwhile, Brandon Williams took the stage after 2 a.m. Wednesday morning to claim victory. Unofficial results show him ahead by 3,200 votes, but thousands of absentee and affidavit ballots still need to be counted. It could be a week before the final results are known.
The 22nd District race was expected to be tight and, therefore, one of the most closely watched in the nation. The result could determine who controls the House.
