Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo on Wednesday conceded defeat to incumbent Kevin R. Hayden in the Democratic primary for Suffolk district attorney, capping a tumultuous campaign that saw both candidates rocked by scandals leading up to the election.
Hayden declared victory shortly before midnight Tuesday after the Associated Press called the race in his favor, but Arroyo initially declined to concede while he waited for thousands of mail ballots to be tallied.
But on Wednesday morning, Arroyo, 34, a former public defender, said “with nearly all the votes counted it is clear we do not have a path to victory.”
“Running for Suffolk County District Attorney was always about ensuring those most impacted by our systems are treated with the humanity and dignity they deserve,” he posted on Twitter. “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. This race may be over but the work continues.”
Hayden captured 54 percent of the vote, compared with 46 percent for Arroyo. Turnout in Boston was 19 percent, according to unofficial results. In a statement on Wednesday, Hayden’s campaign said “the voters have spoken and District Attorney Hayden is humbled by the faith they have put in him. The DA is now focused, as he said last night during his acceptance speech, on continuing to work on their behalf to ensure we create a criminal legal system that works for everyone.”
During his acceptance speech, Hayden told supporters he will crack down on gun trafficking, seek alternatives to prosecution for those fighting addiction, and stand up to hate crimes and white supremacy.
“We’ve done so many great things, but with today’s decision by the voters, we’re going to do a whole lot more,” Hayden, 54, said at the SoWa Power Station. “I’ve staked my entire career on that.”
With no Republican candidate to face in the general election, Hayden has a clear path to serve a full term as the top law enforcement official in Suffolk County, which comprises Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop.
Governor Charlie Baker appointed Hayden to succeed Rachael Rollins when she left the district attorney’s office to become US attorney for Massachusetts.
In the run-up to the election, both candidates faced high-profile controversies. Hayden faced criticism and calls for an outside probe after a Globe investigation exposed a coverup by Transit Police officers and raised questions about how prosecutors handled the case.
Arroyo, 34, confronted revelations of two investigations of possible sexual assault by him when he was a teenager and the question of whether he purposefully omitted information about the subsequent investigations on his bar application.
Arroyo was never criminally charged and has steadfastly denied ever sexually assaulting anyone. He also claimed he did not know about the investigations, but records related to the 2005 case contradict that assertion.
Danny McDonald of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.