Steve Rowe, after hugging his wife Amanda and other family members, conceded the Democratic primary at 11:45 p.m.

He said he called Libby Mitchell to congratulate her on the victory, and he pledged to support her in the general election in November.

“Regardless of the outcome, I’m a winner and I feel that way tonight,” Rowe said, thanking a crowd of more than 50 people that remained for the long haul at Bull Feeney’s pub in Portland’s Old Port.

“When we began this 12 months ago, I said it was going to be a journey. And the journey ends tonight,” he said.

“I was just blessed to have made so many friends and to have had so many supporters,” Rowe said.