BOSTON (WHDH) - Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo conceded the race for Suffolk County District Attorney Wednesday morning.
Arroyo’s opponent, Interim DA Kevin Hayden, led by 5,000 votes with 95% of precincts reporting.
Arroyo waited overnight for all the votes to be counted and said Tuesday night he still had hope. “Based on what we know it’s possible that we can actually still win and so we’ll wait to see what those numbers are,” Arroyo said.
He then announced on Twitter Wednesday morning it was clear his campaign did not have a path to victory.
“I am grateful for the residents of Suffolk County who supported my vision for a more just system and will continue to use my life to advance those ideals,” Arroyo wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning. “This race may be over but the work continues.”
Arroyo’s announcement Wednesday comes as Boston released documents related to 2005 sexual assault allegations involving Arroyo after the sealed documents were leaked to the press showing that Arroyo was accused of sexual misconduct when he was in high school and then two years later. Arroyo was never charged and denies the accusations, saying Hayden’s office dug up the report as a dirty political trick.
“Nobody should worry that because an individual is running for office they will be dragged into the limelight for political gain,” Arroyo said Tuesday night. “I’m sorry for the way this played out publicly and the ways in which this was used because I know that it harmed so many people I care about.”
Hayden didn’t say much about the controversy in his victory speech Tuesday night, instead focusing on his campaign promises.
“To all the headlines that we’ve heard over the last couple weeks it really doesn’t reflect what this entire campaign has been all about,” said Hayden. “I’m committed to ensuring that our criminal legal system works for everybody.”
Arroyo said Tuesday he’ll continue working to change the criminal justice system regardless of the outcome.
“I will fight to make sure that this system does right by our communities, sees us for who we are and lvoes us as human beings because that’s what we are,” said Arroyo.
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