Rice Concedes AG Primary to Schneiderman

Following a neck-and-neck race that lasted into the early morning hours, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice conceded her Democratic primary bid for New York State Attorney General to state Sen. Eric Schneiderman via a written statement to news and media outlets shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Democratic Attorney General hopeful Kathleen Rice, right, makes a point as fellow contenders Eric Schneiderman, left and Richard Brodsky listen during their debate in New York Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010. The five candidates for the Democratic nomination for New York Attorney General participated in a televised debate in New York City. Rice conceded her bid to Schneiderman in the early hours of Sept. 15. (AP Photo/Marcus Yam, Pool)

“I congratulate State Senator Eric Schneiderman for his success tonight and look forward to helping ensure that the Office of the Attorney General stays in Democratic hands,” it reads. 

“There were always more similarities than differences between the five Democrats who vied heartily for this office, and now is the time for party unity to ensure that the principle we all hold dear—that government is a force for good in people’s lives—continues to thrive in the people’s lawyer,” it continues.

For Rice, the concession marked the end of a contest that also included former state insurance superintendent and assistant attorney general Eric Dinallo, attorney and former federal prosecutor Sean Coffey and Assemblyman Richard Brodsky (D- Westchester).

But it was Schneiderman, a 12-year senator in the state Assembly, who posed the greatest challenge.

Just a half an hour before her statement was released, Nassau County and New York State Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs told supporters at Chateau Briand in Carle Place—Rice’s primary night headquarters—that the race was too close to call, with 40 percent of Nassau County’s votes still unaccounted for.

“I can tell you it is very tight at the moment… This is going to be a longer night,” he announced, to chants of “Ka-thleen! Ka-thleen! Ka-thleen!”

Now, it will be Schneiderman who will face off against Republican candidate Dan Donovan, a former prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, this November in the general election.