AG: Murphy concedes to Kane
The Associated Press called the attorney general's race about an hour ago, but it's official now: former U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy of Bucks County conceded to ex-Lackawanna County assistant district attorney Kathleen Kane.
Kane will face Republican Cumberland County District Attorney Dave Freed, who was unopposed. (He was just on PCN, sounding very excited about how he spent election day wrapping up an "unprecedent" marijuana bust.)
If she's successful, she would be the state's first female elected attorney general -- and the first Democratic one.
Murphy called Kane around 11:15 p.m. to concede. He told the crowd of supporters at his northeastern Philadelphia gathering that while the two did not agree on everything, they did see eye-to-eye on protecting children and consumer -- and on the need for a Democrat in that office.
"She ran a strong campaign," Murphy said. "All I can say is that [Republican] Dave Freed will have his hands full come this fall."
Kane, who is competing in her first political bid, said she believed her emphasis on her 13 years as a county prosecutor resonated with Democratic voters.
The latest figures on the Department of State website, showing about 97 percent of precincts reporting, have Kane at 53 percent to Murphy's 47 percent.
Around midnight, those unofficial results showed Murphy winning five counties -- Bucks, Delaware, Philadelphia, Lehigh and Montgomery, all near his native southeastern Pennsylvania. Three others -- Allegheny, Centre and Northampton -- were within several percentage points.
State Democratic chairman Jim Burn has released a statement, congratulating Kane and calling her "the strongest Democrat to run for attorney general yet."
His full statement, after the jump:
"Kathleen Kane is a dedicated prosecutor with a long record of accomplishment in the courtroom, and we are confident in her ability to win the Attorney General's race this fall. In her time as an prosecutor in Lackawanna County, she specialized in prosecuting cases of physical and sexual abuse of children and adults, elder abuse, white-collar criminals, and abuses in Orphans' Court -- the kinds of cases that the Attorney General prosecutes every day. She is the strongest Democrat to run for Attorney General yet, and with all the questions around David Freed's inability to be impartial and conflicts of interest, the Democrats will win this office in November. I sincerely commend Patrick Murphy on a campaign well-run, and know that he will continue to help the Democratic cause and fight for the people of Pennsylvania. I look forward to working with Kathleen and know that come this fall, Pennsylvanians will get the independent watchdog of Governor Corbett that they need."