One of the most rousing and unexpectedly strong East Bay political campaigns in recent memory is ending. Alameda County District Attorney candidate Pamela Price, who had tapped into a well of discontent toward mass incarceration and the misbehavior of law enforcement toward minorities, conceded the election to incumbent DA Nancy O’Malley Friday afternoon.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Price thanked her supporters and vowed a return to the political arena at same point in time. She did not mention O’Malley in her statement.

Price Pamela

“I just wanted to send a quick informal note to say thank you for all of the kind words and well wishes. Losing is always very hard for me to process and this is no different,” Price wrote.

“But it is part of our struggle to fight and sometimes lose a battle that you then have to regroup. I am one who knows that what does not kill you makes you stronger. I am inspired by the love and spirit of this community – and I’ll be back!”

The omission of O’Malley in the statement, is not particularly surprising based on the extremely vitriolic tone Price’s campaign unleashed for months against O’Malley, and theĀ late return volley by O’Malley, and then special interests groups backed by various law enforcement groups against Price.

In a statement on Wednesday, Price sounded guardedly optimistic that the large number of ballots still remaining to be counted gave her campaign some hope for a comeback

An update of the election results by the Alameda County Registrar of Voters Thursday evening likely signaled the end of Price’s campaign. At the end of Election Night tabulations early Wednesday morning, Price trailed O’Malley by 20 points. The addition of roughly 15,000 votes Thursday, in fact, slightly increased O’Malley’s lead.

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