Berg not conceding North Dakota Senate race

Republican Rep. Rick Berg said he will not concede the North Dakota Senate race to Democrat Heidi Heitkamp until the state completes its recount process, which would be next Tuesday.

“This is a very close election, which is why North Dakota has a process in place to properly count each ballot and officially certify the result. This canvassing process will certify the election and provide an official result. The Berg for Senate campaign will await the results of the canvassing process before making any other announcements regarding the status of the election," said Berg spokesman Chris Van Guilder in a release issued late Tuesday night.

Early vote projections predicted a win for Heitkamp, who was up by nearly 3,000 votes with about 98 percent of the state reporting early Wednesday morning.

But Berg did not concede on Tuesday night, opting instead to wait until Tuesday, when the state's vote canvassing process is completed. According to Berg's campaign, the process will begin Friday, when half of the state's 53 counties will be canvassed, and it will end on Tuesday after adjourning for the weekend and the Monday holiday.

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