The race for Ulster County District Attorney is over. On Tuesday, Republican and Conservative Party candidate Mike Kavanagh conceded that with opponent Democrat Emmanuel Nneji extending his narrow Election Night lead as absentee ballots are counted, he no longer had a path to victory in the closely contested race.

“After consulting with my team, it appears that the current vote tally provides Manny Nneji an insurmountable lead in the race for Ulster County District Attorney,” wrote Kavanagh in a statement. “Therefore, we have asked the Board of Elections to cease counting any remaining outstanding absentee ballots and declare Mr. Nneji the winner.”

Kavanagh’s concession comes as Nneji’s Election Night lead of 195 votes grew to 368 by Tuesday afternoon. The final tally was 24,206 votes for Nneji and 23,838 for Kavanagh. The margin exceeds the one half of 1 percent threshold that would have triggered a mandatory recount, a process that could have extended the contest into next year.

It is the second close loss for Kavanagh in his effort to win the office once held by his father, E. Michael Kavanagh. In 2019, the younger Kavanagh lost to incumbent DA Dave Clegg by just 78 votes.

“While we ultimately came up just short of our goal, I am very proud of my team and the campaign we ran,” wrote Kavanagh. “In a county where Democrat candidates enjoy a staggering advantage, we nearly accomplished what many thought impossible.”

Nneji’s victory caps a barrier-breaking rise through the ranks of the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office that began in 1990 when he came to the office as an intern while still a student at University of Buffalo School of Law and carried on to his appointment as chief assistant DA in 2022. A naturalized citizen from Nigeria, Nneji will be the first foreign-born person and first person of color to hold Ulster County’s top law enforcement post.

Nneji ran on promises to bring progressive principles to the office, including the development of specialty courts for veterans and the mentally ill and expanded use of diversion programs for non-violent low-level offenders. Nneji also campaigned on creating a more transparent DA’s Office that would work to engage the community with information sessions and violence prevention programs for youth.

“By the power of your vote, this community has given me the strongest endorsement, which speaks to the central message of our campaign — the promise of fairness and justice for all, and the administration of our laws without fear or favor,” said Nneji in a statement Tuesday. “This was my first time running for public office and I am so grateful to our campaign team, the Democratic committees, and all the volunteers and supporters who helped make this happen.”