Arizona contest: Indian American doctor concedes her bid for Congress

Dr. Hiral Tiperneni thanked her staff and volunteers in her concession speech.

Hiral Tiperneni suffered a "heartbreaking" loss and her concession speech got lost as the rest of the nation began hearing the news that Joe Biden had won the Presidency.

Dr. Tiperneni, an emergency room physician, conceded Saturday morning to incumbent Rep. David Schweikert, Arizona's Congressional District 6th District. 

The election results, released Saturday morning, showed Schweikert’s lead was continuing to grow, with the five-term Republican holding a 52.15% to 47.85% margin and a 17,646-vote advantage, apparently too large for Tiperneni's campaign to overcome.

Democratic challenger Hiral Tipirneni conceded to Rep. David Schweikert, R-Fountain Hills, in the race for Arizona’s 6th District congressional seat Saturday, after days of counting saw her election night lead evaporate.

In the hours after the polls closed Tuesday, it appeared that the Indian American physician was going to pull off an upset over Schweikert, who had been hurt by his mishandling of campaign and office funds.

Arizona was also voting in a new Democratic U.S. Senator and was giving the edge to Biden.

But the lean to the Democrats apparently didn't extend down ballot and Republican voters apparently were not bothered by the incumbents financial mistakes as Schweikert held on to his seat in a district where Republicans outnumbered Democrats by a large margin.

Tiperneni, who also ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2018 in another district, gave a concession statement Saturday:

"Moments ago, I called Congressman David Schweikert to concede this race. From the very beginning, this race was about fighting for the issues that impact Arizona families. It was never about partisanship. It was about rooting out corruption and making the tax code more fair for middle-class Arizona families, small businesses, and retirees. I ran for Congress with one ultimate goal in mind: to ensure that every single American has access to quality, affordable healthcare.

"Even today, after this heartbreaking loss, I stand by my decision to run wholeheartedly. And I'm proud to have joined the countless other women leaders nationwide who stepped up and demanded better. We need more women in positions of power. We need more women in politics. Their empathic voices, their ability to problem-solve, and their diversity of backgrounds and experiences will change this country for the better. Run and run hard - this country needs you.

"I am deeply proud of my team, this campaign, and the fierceness with which we ran it. We have made an immense impact, make no mistake. I hope each of you continues to use your voice, your passion, and your vote to create 'the change you want to see in the world.' I know I will."