Thom Tillis says Democrat Cal Cunningham has conceded in North Carolina Senate race

Democrat Cal Cunningham conceded the North Carolina Senate race Tuesday, confirming Sen. Thom Tillis, the Republican incumbent, will serve a second term.

Mr. Tillis had been leading in the vote count since Election Day, but there are still some votes to be counted. The gap of nearly 100,000 votes, out of more than 5 million cast, is apparently too big to surmount, however.

“Earlier this afternoon, Cal Cunningham called me to offer his concession,” Mr. Tillis said. “This was a hard-fought campaign and I wish nothing but the best to Cal and his family going forward.”

Mr. Cunningham had been leading in polls but suffered through a terrible October, when he admitted to extramarital behavior with the wife of a disabled veteran. Mr. Cunningham is an officer in the Army Reserve, and the behavior has drawn an investigation, since adultery is illegal for members of the military.

Despite that, many prognosticators still predicted the Democrat would win.

The Senate race closely tracks with the presidential race in North Carolina, where President Trump leads Democrat Joseph R. Biden by nearly 75,000 votes.

With Mr. Tillis clearly emerging as the winner, Republicans are now guaranteed 49 seats to 48 seats for the Democratic Caucus.

A Republican also leads in Alaska, though the challenger there says there are enough outstanding votes that the outcome isn’t assured.

The final two races, both in Georgia, are headed to runoffs in early January.

Mr. Cunningham’s concession set off a new round of recriminations online.

Michael LaRosa, spokesman for Mr. Biden’s wife Jill Biden, tweeted that Mr. Cunningham “has no one to blame but himself.”

That ignited a feverish discussion.

“What if he isn’t in a heteronormative relationship, and you’re just forcing this idea that he should have to respond to allegations re: consensual sexual conduct?” one user responded.

To that, another replied, “it’s very obvious that it was cheating and against what his wife wanted.”

It also was apparently against what the disabled veteran husband of the woman involved wanted.

And there were allegations of a second improper relationship, too.