New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte Loses to Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan The photo finish led to the incumbent conceding late Wednesday afternoon.

 -- New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte was defeated in her re-election bid, losing to Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan by just over 1,000 votes, officials said today.

The race was so close that it took the New Hampshire Secretary of State well into Wednesday afternoon to make the results official, announcing that Hassan won by 1,023 votes among approximately 740,000 total ballots counted so far.

In a statement shortly after the secretary of state’s announcement, Ayotte said she spoke to Hassan to congratulate her.

“I wish Governor Hassan, her husband Tom, and their children Ben and Meg the very best,” Ayotte said. “This is a critical time for New Hampshire and our country, and now more than ever, we need to work together to address our challenges.”

Hassan said she thanked Ayotte for a hard-fought campaign and for her “graciousness” on the phone.

“This election exposed divisions in our nation. But in a season that focused on our differences, we also saw glimpses of how much we share. In the United States Senate, I will reach out to people from both sides of the aisle to identify shared goals and common ground,” Hassan said.