It's over. Rep. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh, leads by 3,105 votes with
3,072 absentee ballots left to be counted.

With 58.6 percent of all absentees counted, Mr. Hoffman has gained 71
votes on Mr. Owens so far.

Steve Singiser:

Why did Hoffman concede in the first place? That I’d credit to the
campaign’s overconfidence. They went into election day planning for a
clear victory. Hoffman bragged to me, and to other reporters, that he
hadn’t even talked to Dede Scozzafava, the ousted GOP candidate,
because he’d “win without her.” When votes started coming in far, far
below their expectations, they lost hope very quickly.

So a political neophyte who had grown convinced that his victory was
assured, and that he was the new conservative superstar, learns
instead that the voters of the 23rd district do not share the fervor
for him found within the teabagger crowd.

Shellshocked, and no doubt more than a little embarrassed, he coughs
out a quick and painful statement of concession, wanting to leave the
stage as quickly as possible.