Cary Moon Concedes Seattle Mayoral Race To Jenny Durkan

SEATTLE, WA - On Election Day, Cary Moon predicted she would start off trailing challenger Jenny Durkan by a wide margin. That gap would close, Moon predicted, as King County counted more ballots throughout the week.

That prediction didn't come true Wednesday. Durkan, who had a 21-point lead over Moon Tuesday night, is still ahead by that much: 60.39% to Moon's 39.61%.

At about 4:40 p.m., Moon sent a letter to supporters conceding the election to Durkan.

"While the election results will probably continue to tighten, the outcome is unlikely to be what we hoped. We should not let that discourage us. Despite being outspent 3:1, we ran a strong, transparent, and honest campaign about vision and solutions. We drove the conversation around housing affordability, real estate speculation, municipal broadband, and wealth inequality.

"l have offered my congratulations to Jenny Durkan, Seattle’s first woman mayor in 90 years. I urge her to boldly confront the challenges facing our city and to remember that Seattle's prosperity should provide shared opportunity and success for everyone, not just the wealthy few.

Before the concession, many were already calling Durkan "mayor-elect." That includes celebrities like Miley Cyrus and the Canadian indie pop band Tegan and Sara.

Seattle mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan points to supporters as she speaks at an election night party Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, in Seattle. Voters were picking a female mayor of the Northwest's largest city for the first time in 90 years, choosing between former U.S. attorney Durkan and community activist Cary Moon.

Image via Elaine Thompson/Associated Press