Concession Calls Fade in 2026 Midterms as 2 High-Profile Winners Say Rivals Never Reached Them
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Nov 12
Concession Calls Fade in 2026 Midterms as 2 High-Profile Winners Say Rivals Never Reached Them
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Nov 12
Summary
Abdul El-Sayed and Amy Acton said after last week’s victories that post-election outreach broke down: El-Sayed said Mike Rogers never called, while Acton said she refused to take Vivek Ramaswamy’s congratulatory message.
The snubs reflect a broader 2026 pattern as several races still remain unresolved and candidates increasingly skip either the private call or the public concession that long marked a clear end to campaigns.
Some candidates still observed the custom this week: Mike Lawler posted a cordial photo with Democrat Cait Conley after losing in New York, and Cindy Hyde-Smith released a concession video after Scott Colom’s upset in Mississippi.
The erosion follows a longer decline in political civility, with historians and former candidates arguing concession messages help legitimize results and citing Donald Trump’s refusal to concede in 2020 as a turning point.