Governor Pat McCrory has conceded the close governor's race.

McCrory congratulated Attorney General Roy Cooper in a video news release.

The governor said he respects "what I see the ultimate outcome in the closest North Carolina governor's race in modern history."

McCrory said despite lingering questions that need to be resolved, "I personally believe that the majority of the citizens have spoken, and that we now should do everything we can to support the 75th governor or North Carolina, Roy Cooper."

Cooper led by some 4,800 votes on election night, and his lead increased to more than 10,000 as counties added in provisional and late absentee votes.

The governor-elect thanked McCrory and the first last for their service to the state. “While this was a divisive election season, I know still that there is more that unites us than divides us. Together, we can make North Carolina the shining beacon in the south by investing in our schools, supporting working families and building a state that works for everyone,” said Cooper in a statement.

McCrory said in a video posted on YouTube that he is giving up four years after he won the office by a comfortable margin. This time around McCrory was weighed down by a law he signed limiting LGBT rights and was unable to generate the same voter support that lifted Republicans Donald Trump and Richard Burr to victory in the state.

Cooper's win marks an important consolation prize for national Democrats after a disappointing election.

McCrory's defeat marks the first time a sitting governor has lost a re-election bid in the state.

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The recount of ballots in a North Carolina county has resumed and could soon bring a conclusion to the undecided race for governor.

Paid volunteers resumed their work Monday at the Durham County elections board office to carry out an order to recount more than 90,000 ballots cast during early voting and on Election Day. By midmorning, only 10,000 ballots still had to be run through tabulation machines.

Partial Durham recount returns through Sunday showed little change in tallies for Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and Democratic challenger Roy Cooper. Unofficial statewide results have Cooper leading McCrory by about 10,250 votes. Representatives of McCrory and Cooper's campaign team are observing the Durham count.

McCrory has said he won't ask for a statewide recount if the Durham recount shows the same results.