Voter fraud accusations fly following Tierney, Tisei race

(FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – Despite the marginal victory, Republican Richard Tisei has conceded the race in Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District to Democratic incumbent John Tierney.

Rep. Tierney beat out Tisei by a slim 1 percent margin, 3,500 votes.

"This has been a long, hard-fought battle and I believe that the voters deserve better representation in Washington. That's why I ran. Nonetheless, the election results are now fully in and Congressman Tierney retains a narrow lead. I congratulate him on his victory," Tisei said in a statement.

Shortly after the polls closed, Tisei's campaign reportedly planned to challenge the results of the election, especially after learning that voter fraud may have played a role at polls in Lynn; however, on Wednesday afternoon, Tisei's campaign conceded the race.

"While I have concerns about reported irregularities in some areas of the district, I'll leave any investigation of those matters to others. I'll have no further comment on these matters," Tisei continued.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Tierney's campaign had not yet commented on the voter fraud allegations.

Tisei is a former state senator and 2010 nominee for lieutenant governor. He was hoping to become the first Republican elected to the U.S. House from Massachusetts since 1994.

Tisei concluded his statement by acknowledging the efforts of his staff. He called campaigned "the experience of a lifetime" and is grateful for the people he met along the way.

"I encourage every American to get involved, stay involved, and make a difference."

Cox Media Group