DePerno thanked his supporters in the statement and said the campaign sent a strong message to Lansing that Michigan residents are “tired of rising crime, threats to parental rights and an ongoing lack of trust in the government.” 

“Although I may be conceding to Dana Nessel today, I refuse to concede that Michigan is a blue state,” DePerno said in his statement. “I will continue to fight like hell to restore Michigan to all it can be and I look forward to continuing this journey with you all.”

In a social media post, Nessel said Michigan values like “Love over Hate,” “Facts over Lies” and “Democracy over Fascism” were pushing her campaign forward to victory. She then gave a message to LGBTQ+ youth in Michigan.

“For all the LGBTQ kids out there who were demonized and whose lives were weaponized by sad and broken adults during this election cycle: You are good enough. Your lives and stories matter," Nessel wrote in a tweet. "God loves you just as you are. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Nessel, who is gay, was called a “groomer” at many points in the campaign. DePerno once called her “Michigan’s Groomer General.”

The race was anticipated to be among the closest of the three statewide races, with many polls showing Nessel and DePerno locked in a dead heat as Election Day grew closer.

While Nessel declared victory on Wednesday morning, she seemed celebratory when giving a speech with a horse voice just after midnight during the Michigan Democratic Party watch party in Detroit.