Republican concedes Virginia attorney general race amid recount

Republican Mark Obenshain has conceded the race for Virginia attorney general to Democrat Mark Herring, who has built an insurmountable lead in a recount.

Obenshain acknowledged at a news conference Wednesday that Herring had widened his lead beyond the mathematical possibility of closing the gap or surpassing him. Herring's campaign claims an 866-vote lead.

Obenshain petitioned for a recount after he trailed Herring by 165 votes out of more than 2.2 million ballots cast on Nov. 5. At that point, it had been the closest statewide race in modern Virginia political history.

Herring's win completes a Democratic sweep of the top of the statewide ballot -- the first since 1989 when L. Douglas Wilder was elected governor. Democratic Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe led the sweep this year.