Gounardes Claims Victory But Golden Doesn't Concede

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — The race remains undecided between Republican state Senator Marty Golden and his progressive opponent Andrew Gounardes as Gounardes claims victory with a 1,000 vote lead and Golden demands absentee ballots be counted.

The battle to represent southern Brooklyn's District 22 wages on after a chaotic Election Day on Nov. 6 that saw Gounardes pull ahead at about midnight with just 50.9 percent of the vote.

Gounardes released an acceptance statement shortly after midnight thanking the voters and Golden —"Together we made this victory possible," he said — but Golden, with 30,039 votes to his opponent's 31,168, wasn't so quick to claim defeat.

"Senator Golden is absolutely NOT conceding.Golden's spokesman Michael Tobman told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. "There are still machine votes being counted, and thousands of absentee ballots that will not be counted until next week."

Whoever claims victory in District 22 will join a New York State Senate with a democratic majority for the first time in years. The number of Democrats in the 63-seat chamber rose from 31 to at least 37 , which is the largest majority in the modern history.

Photo of New York State Senator Martin Golden (left) by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images and of Andrew Gounardes (right) courtesy of the candidate's campaign.