Hassan declares victory in tight Senate race; Ayotte not ready to concede Both candidates have 48% of vote Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT >> BREAKING NEWS RIGHT NOW, THE RACE FOR U.S. SENATE, TOO CLOSE TO CALL 12 HOURS AFTER THE POLLS CLOSED. >> MAGGIE HASSAN IS ABOUT 625 VOTES AHEAD AT THIS POINT. VERY CLOSE TO RELENTLESS INTO HER. MAGGIE HASSAN: IT'S CLEAR THAT WE HAVE MAINTAINED THE LEAD IN IN THIS RACE AND HAVE ONE. --WON. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] [CHANTING "MAGGIE:"] [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] MAGGIE HASSA: THIS MORNING THERE ARE ONLY A FEW SMALL TOWNS LEFT OUTSTANDING AND I HOPE THESE VOTES ARE QUICKLY RECORDED. WHEN WE ARE, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT OUR MARGINS ARE ENOUGH THAT WE WILL MAINTAIN OUR LEAD. I AM PROUD TO STAND HERE AS THE NEXT UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] MAGGIE HASSA IT WILL BE MY JOB IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE. TO STAND UP TO THE PRESIDENT WHEN I NEE TO, TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS WITH HIM WHEN AVAILABLE. WORKED IN PUBLIC SERVICE AS AN ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. PEOPLE WHOSE VOICES ARE TOO OFTEN NOT HEARD. I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE STRONGER WHEN WE LISTEN TO ALL VOICES AND ALL PERSPECTIVES. WE ARE STRONGER WHEN WE ARE WORKING TO ENSUR THAT EVERY PERSON HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN THE NATION'S SUCCESS. IN ENSURING THAT WE ARE EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY TO ALL OF OUR CITIZENS, THAT WILL BE MY GUIDING PRINCIPLE IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO CONGRATULATE GOVERNOR ELECT SUNUNU. I PLEDGE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO ENSURE A SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION. IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE I WILL ALWAYS PUT THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FIRST. TOGETHER, WE WILL WORK TO HEAL THE DIVISIONS THAT THIS ELECTION HAS EXPOSED AND HILDA FUTURE WHERE ALL OF US ARE INCLUDED IN ECONOMIC SUCCESS. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. >> WE HAVE JUST HEARD FROM MAGGIE HASSAN, CLAIMING VICTORY IN THE SENATE RACE. RIGHT NOW WE ARE SHOWING THAT THERE ARE FOUR PRECINCTS THAT HAVE NOT RECORDED THEIR VOTE. BUT SHE SAYS THAT THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT THEY HAVE WON THIS RACE. >> THAT'S RIGHT. AT LAST CHECK WE HAD A 625 VOTE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO. AS YOU JUST HEARD -- LET'S LISTEN AGAIN. >> YOU ARE THAT CONFIDENT? HAVE YOU SPOKE TO SENATOR AYOTTE YET? MAGGIE HASSAN: I HAVE NOT. >> YOU ARE CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL STAND UP? MAGGIE HASSAN: WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE WON THE RACE. >> IT'S WITHIN THE RECOUNT. MAGGIE HASSA WE ARE CONFIDENT, GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE OUTSTANDING TALLIES, THAT WE HAVE WON THIS RACE AND WE OF COURSE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY VOTE IS COUNTED. >> IS THERE ONE PARTICULAR ISSUE? A MARRIOTT OF ISSUES THAT SWUNG THINGS -- AND. OF ISSUES -- MYRIAD OF ISSUES THAT SWUNG THINGS IN YOUR FAVOR? MAGGIE HASSAN: WE MADE SURE THAT WE WERE LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR WORK REFLECTED THEIR PRIORITIES, PRIORITIES I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS AS GOVERNOR. DURING THIS CAMPAIGN WE HEARD ABOUT THOSE PRIORITIES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WE ALSO LEARNED ABOUT THEIR FRUSTRATIONS, IN A SENSE THAT WASHINGTON HAS NOT BEEN STANDING UP TO THEM. MY FOCUS IS TO BE STANDING UP FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FIRST. THAT'S WHAT MY COMMITMENT IS TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT STATE. >> HOW MUCH INFLUENCE CAN NEW HAMPSHIRE HAVE? YOU HAVE GOT REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN HOUSE, REPUBLICAN SENATE, AND IN ALL DEMOCRATIC DELEGATION FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE. -- AND AN ALL DEMOCRATIC DELEGATION FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE. MAGGIE HASSA WHAT I KNOW IS THAT EACH AND EVERY DAY IF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE, WE CAN MAKE PROGRESS. THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE SOLVE PROBLEMS IN THE FAMILY LIVES AND BUSINESSES, COMMUNITIES EVERYDAY. WITHOUT RESPECT TO COME POLITICAL PAR -- TO POLITICAL PARTY, THAT IS WHAT I WILL CONTINUE TO DO. >> HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE SECOND WOMAN? MAGGIE HASSAN: WELL, I AM HONORED TO BE ELECTED TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE? I WILL BE VERY PROUD TO SERVE. THANK YOU. >> WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE GOING FORWARD UNDER DONALD TRUMP? MAGGIE HASSAN: WE KNOW THAT THIS ELECTION EXPOSED VERY SERIOUS DIVISIONS IN OUR COUNTRY. AND IT IS UP TO ALL OF US, ALL ELECTED LEADERS AND CITIZENS, NOW, TO COME TOGETHER AND FOCUS ON OUR COMMON CHALLENGES IN OUR COMMON OPPORTUNITIES. THERE IS A LOT THAT BINDS US AND UNITES US AS AMERICANS. GOING FORWARD WE WILL MAKE PROGRESS TOGETHER. WE WILL SHARE IN THE SUCCESS. >> TIME FOR ONE MORE? >> YOUR SUCCESSOR IN THE CORNER OFFICE WILL BE SOMEONE WHO WAS QUITE CRITICAL OF YOU ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. HOW CAN YOU WORK WITH HIM GOING FORWARD? >> WE JUST SPOKE EARLIER THIS MORNING AND WE ARE GOING -- WE ARE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER A SMOOTH TRANSITION. AS LONG AS WE ALL FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE, WE WILL DO JUST FINE. >> OK, THAT IS THE FINAL WORD FROM MAGGIE HASSAN. SHE SAYS SHE HAS NOT HEARD FROM AYOTTE. OUR STATION HAS NOT DECLARED FOR THE WINNER, BUT SHE IS CLAIMING VICTORY. >> THAT'S THE HEADLINE HERE. 99%, SHE HAS THE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH VOTES, ALTHOUGH THE RACE HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY DECLARED AT THIS POINT. AT LAST CHECK SHE HAS A 600 VOTE LEAD AT THIS POINT. SHE IS DECLARING HERSELF THE VICTOR. THAT WOULD MAKE AN ALL DEMOCRATIC DELEGATION DOWN IN WASHINGTON FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE. >> RIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE AT THIS POINT HILLARY CLINTON WILL WIN THE RACE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. >> SHE WENT RIGHT INTO A SPEECH ABOUT HOW GOING TO WASHINGTON AS A DEMOCRAT IN A CONTROLLED HOUSE BY THE REPUBLICANS, SHE WOULD WORK TO HEAL THE DIVISIONS IN OUR COUNTRY. >> I MISSPOKE THERE. CHRIS SUNUNU, SHE TALKED ABOUT HOW SHE WAS GOING TO WORK WITH HIM. THIS WOULD BE A VERY SMOOTH TRANSITION. SHE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE ELECTION AND HOW IT REALLY EXPOSED A LOT OF DIVISIONS IN THE COUNTRY AND HOW SHE WANTS TO WORK TO HEAL THOSE DIVISIONS. >> ONE WORD THAT LOOMED THERE WAS RECOUNT. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF RECOUNT WHEN A RACE IS THIS CLOSE. >> WE ARE ALSO WAITING ON WORD FROM HILLARY CLINTON. WE ARE EXPECTING HER TO SPEAK IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES AND ABC NEWS IS PLANNING A SPECIAL

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