Republican challenger Richard Hanna congratulated incumbent Michael Arcuri on Arcuri's re-election to a seat in the 24th Congressional District, during a news conference held in Utica Wednesday.

"As a first-time candidate, who started with nothing, I am overwhelmingly grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity that I thoroughly enjoyed," Hanna said in a news release. "I have no regrets. I enjoyed discussing what's best to move this community forward, sharing my ideas, and hearing the thoughts and concerns of so many."

Hanna, who ran on the Republican, Independence and Conservative tickets, also thanked his supporters, volunteers, contributors and community leaders for the opportunity to run for Congress.

"I'd like to thank the more than 1,300 individuals who contributed financially to my campaign, the hundreds who volunteered their time, and all the voters in the 24th Congressional District," Hanna said. "They clearly demonstrated that with the right ideas and the right principles, an outsider still has an opportunity to run an effective campaign against entrenched Washington business-as-usual politicians."

According to the release, Hanna waited until the majority of the votes were counted before he conceded.