SALT LAKE CITY — State Sen. Luz Escamilla conceded to Salt Lake City Councilwoman Erin Mendenhall in the Salt Lake City mayor’s race Wednesday just after 4 p.m., in a statement released on her campaign website.

“I just congratulated Erin,” Escamilla said in the statement. “We had a good conversation and I wished her the best of luck as our city’s next mayor.”

The Salt Lake County Clerk’s Office reported there were 9,744 ballots left to be counted, a number lower than what Escamilla’s campaign estimated, according to the release.

“The low number of remaining ballots left the odds for Escamilla to overtake the lead insurmountable,” the release read.

To all our supporters, thank you. We are, of course, disappointed in the results, but we are proud of the campaign we ran and our amazing candidate.



You can read the press release here: https://t.co/dLdXyUKA9H#utpol — Luz Escamilla (@luzformayor) November 6, 2019

Escamilla also expressed her appreciation to her family, her staff and the many supporters and volunteers that stood with her and her campaign.

As Escamilla ended her campaign, she expressed gratitude to her family for their support and said she was “very proud of my campaign staff who worked tirelessly these past few months.”

She added that she can’t thank her supporters and volunteers enough.

“As I look back over these past few months, what I will always keep with me is how beautiful this city and its residents are,” Escamilla said in the statement. “I’ve met so many incredible Salt Lakers during this campaign. I’ve made new friends and learned this truth: east siders care about the west side and west siders care about the east side. In these times when we see so many divisions, it’s a reaffirmation of our great city to see that we all care about each other.”

Escamilla will continue to her term as a state senator, the release noted.

Related:

Mendenhall says preliminary results are 'looking lovely' after jumping to lead in SLC mayor race City Councilwoman Erin Mendenhall leads state Sen. Luz Escamilla in the Salt Lake City mayoral race in preliminary results according to the latest numbers released by the Salt Lake County Clerk's office after 9:35 p.m. Tuesday night.

Mendenhall said in a statement she was looking forward to working with Escamilla to better Salt Lake City.

“Luz is a dedicated public servant and a true champion for Salt Lake City. Her candidacy made this a better campaign and her continued public service will help make Salt Lake City a better home for all of us,” Mendenhall said in a statement. “I look forward to working in partnership with her to move our city forward."

Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance, congratulated Mendenhall on the victory in a statement.

“Her experience with the Salt Lake City Council has set her up for success in this new role and will help her excel for the betterment of our capital city,” Miller said in the statement.

“In all of my work with Erin, I have found that she is a person who cares deeply about the citizens of Salt Lake, someone who is willing to listen to all sides, and ultimately will do what she believes is in the best interest of continuing our economic prosperity,” he said.

Mendenhall will hold a news conference on the steps of City Hall Thursday at 10 a.m. to discuss her transition as the city’s 36th mayor.

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