The Concession Call to an Election Winner Is No Longer a Given

The customary call from a defeated candidate to congratulate an election winner is becoming less reliable, reflecting a more hostile and less civil political climate. Recent examples include Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed saying his opponent Mike Rogers had not called, and Ohio Governor-elect Amy Acton declining to speak with Vivek Ramaswamy after he said he had left her a congratulatory message.

Concessions have traditionally involved both a private message and a public speech, helping signal that the contest is over and a transition can begin. Some candidates have maintained the tradition: Mike Lawler met with the Democrat who defeated him, Cait Conley, while Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith issued a concession video after losing to Scott Colom. The practice has evolved from telegrams to phone calls; Jimmy Carter called Ronald Reagan in 1980, and Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump after the 2016 election.