Ohio candidate accidentally sends out concession statement hours before polls close

The campaign for Derek Myers, an Ohio Republican candidate competing in the Tuesday primary for Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District, accidentally issued a concession statement hours before polls closed in the Buckeye State.

“Tonight did not go as we had hoped,” read the start of the erroneous release, which was sent just after 3 p.m. EDT — with polls in Ohio open until 7:30 p.m.

A subsequent release from Myers’s team quickly retracted the announcement, saying it was “sent in error, due to a technical issue.” 

Myers is running in a packed 11-person GOP primary for the Ohio district after Rep. Brad Wenstrup announced plans to retire. The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates it a safe Republican seat.

A third release from the campaign further explained that both a concession and a victory email had been prepped for Tuesday night.

"The concession email was sent in error as it was being loaded into the media distribution portal, as a draft, in the event of a loss. Accidentally, the 'send now' button we clicked instead of 'draft.' The winning email was also drafted, but was not sent in error, thankfully. Anyone who works in communications knows it’s not uncommon to have speeches and releases prepared in the event of each outcome, especially on such an impotent night. It’s simply good strategy," Myers said in a statement.

"Whatever the results return this evening, I’ll be thankful for this journey. And yes, the media will be getting a release sometime after the results roll in, declaring a victory or concession."

Updated at 3:59 p.m.