Zimmer concedes House race to incumbent Holt

Republican Dick Zimmer yesterday conceded the election for New Jersey's 12th District Congressional seat to Democratic opponent Rep. Rush Holt, just days after Zimmer requested a recount of ballots in five counties.

Questions about the outcome of the close race lingered as late as yesterday, however, because of the razor-thin margin of victory for Holt and questions regarding how the election was conducted.

After the original vote count had been completed, Holt had a lead of 636 votes and declared himself the winner Nov. 17. At that point, the Zimmer campaign refused to concede the race.

"Subsequent to the election we found a number of irregularities, including double and triple voting, more than 850 absentee ballots in Middlesex County being altered by election workers without any legal authority or supervision . . . and overseas ballots in Hunterdon County cast for me but never counted because they were found in a drawer just yesterday," Zimmer said in a statement yesterday.

After two days of recounting, however, Holt's margin of victory had widened to 746, prompting Zimmer's concession, according to Zimmer campaign manager John Holub.

As a result, the recount will be halted pending an agreement between Zimmer's attorneys and officials in each of the five counties, said Paul Loriquet, spokesman for the New Jersey Attorney General.

Though Zimmer had cited irregularities in the election and counting processes, Holub said he felt the election showed the people had chosen Holt.

Zimmer also seemed to downplay the irregularities in his concession announcement yesterday. "These irregularities are a cause of concern, but not grounds for lengthy litigation or a divisive showdown in the House of Representatives," he said.

Zimmer also suggested Vice President Al Gore follow in his footsteps. "I do not intend to go down the path that Al Gore has taken," Zimmer said in the statement. "The voters have spoken. I respect their decision and I will honor it."

Holt's victory will earn him a second term in the House of Representatives. If pending questions in Minnesota and Michigan do not change the outcomes of elections there, Holt will be one of 212 Democrats in the House.

Republicans have captured control of 221 seats.