By Patrick Phillips | November 6, 2020 at 9:04 AM EST - Updated November 6 at 10:11 AM
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Rep. Joe Cunningham said he called Rep.-Elect Nancy Mace Friday morning to congratulate her on her victory in the First Congressional District election.
“She is my representative for the Lowcountry, and I am rooting for her success as we confront significant challenges that we’re facing right now,” Cunningham said. “This is obviously not the outcome that we hoped for. While this was one of the closest races in recent history, I feel like we can take solace in the fact that our country is on the right track towards electing a good and decent man to lead us. I think when all the ballots are counted, Joe Biden, will be our president.”
He made the remarks from the steps of the U.S. Custom House in downtown Charleston, where he announced his campaign three years ago.
Cunningham criticized what he called “manufactured division” in politics in America.
“Instead of fighting with each other, let’s focus on fighting the challenges ahead of us: COVID-19, climate change, systematic racism the skyrocketing cost of healthcare higher education and childcare,” he said. “We need fewer walls and more bridges, both in our politics and in our country. We need to end gerrymandering and break down the barriers that make it harder to vote. We have to build back our alliances around the world and be the global global leader that we have always been. We have to start talking to each other. And most importantly, we got to start listening to one another.”
Election results show Mace finished with 51% of the vote, but Cunningham refused to concede the loss Wednesday morning, saying he would wait until all of the ballots are counted.
Cunningham pledged to do “anything and everything to assist” Mace in her transition.
Cunningham pulled one of the biggest upsets in 2018 when he became the first Democrat to flip a U.S. House seat from Republicans in South Carolina since 1986. National Republicans started targeting his seat just days after his election.
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