Final House race decided as Rouzer concedes to McIntyre after North Carolina recount

RALEIGH, N.C. – The final House race of the 2012 election cycle has just been decided as Republican challenger David Rouzer has just conceded to Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-N.C.

Rouzer announced his decision Wednesday night after a completed machine recount in the 7th Congressional District showed McIntyre keeping a 654-vote lead over Rouzer from more than 336,000 votes cast.

McIntyre had a 655-vote lead before Rouzer requested the recount that began this week. The 12th and final county recount finished Wednesday evening. Rouzer could have asked for a more detailed hand-to-eye recount.

The concession means McIntyre will represent southeastern North Carolina on Capitol Hill for a ninth term. Rouzer is an outgoing state senator who once served in U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms' office.

A fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrat, McIntyre will remain one of the few moderate Democratic voices in the House. He also bucked a significant trend in North Carolina, where Republicans won several other seats in the Tar Heel State, thanks in part to congressional redistricting after the 2010 Census.

Fox News' Chad Pergram and the Associated Press contributed to this report.