Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole, expresses his sadness about the effect the budget will have on his community during a Joint Session of Alaska Legislature at the Capitol on Thursday, July 11, 2019. A recount has affirmed Cohhill lost a tight primary race. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole, expresses his sadness about the effect the budget will have on his community during a Joint Session of Alaska Legislature at the Capitol on Thursday, July 11, 2019. A recount has affirmed Cohhill lost a tight primary race. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Recount affirms loss for state senator

He wishes winner the best.

A recount of ballots Wednesday affirmed a narrow loss for Republican state Sen. John Coghill in his party primary in Alaska last month.

Results of the recount, released by the state Division of Elections, showed Robert Myers Jr. with 1,739 votes and Coghill with 1,725. That is unchanged from the result that previously had been certified.

Coghill, a longtime lawmaker from North Pole who has served in the House and Senate, said Wednesday that the division “does pretty good.”

“But you just have to review and recount to make sure when it’s that close,” he said. “The voters have spoken. So I will congratulate the person who won and wish them the best and be glad that I served Alaska for as long as I did.”

Myers faces two non-affiliated candidates in the November general election: Evan Eads and Marna Sanford, who serves on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly.

There were no other official recount requests from candidates as of Wednesday, according to a news release from the Division of Elections.

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