Update 11:46pm: Virg Bernero took the stage at the MGM Grand in Detroit at around 10pm to give his concession speech.
Bernero congratulated his supporters, saying they fought hard and he was proud of the campaign. Bernero said even though he lost the race, he'll still continue to fight for a strong middle class, and that even though the campaign ends tonight..."the fight for a Michigan of opportunity for everyone goes on."
Bernero also promised to work with Republican Rick Snyder as long as Snyder governs as a moderate:
"If he does, and he creates policies good for all Michiganders, not just the few at the top, I promise I will partner with Rick Snyder and work with him hand in hand and I?ll call on you to support him as well."
Bernero added that if Snyder doesn't govern as a moderate, he'll "be watching."
James Britton was at the MGM Grand to support the Democrats. Britton said, to be honest, he's not too surprised by the election results. He chalks it up to it just being "a bad year for Democrats. I don't think Rick Snyder is a better candidate or will do a better job; it was just a good year to be a Republican."
Britton says low voter turnout by Democrats is also partly to blame for the losses.
Update 10:08pm: Virg Bernero concedes race to Republican candidate Rick Snyder. He says "it was a good fight, but it wasn’t our time."
Update 9:59pm: Big round of applause for Democratic candidate for governor Virg Bernero as he takes the stage at the MGM Grand. They're chanting "Virg! Virg! Virg!"
Update 9:44pm: Mark Gaffney with the AFL-CIO talks to supporters at the MGM Grand. Says he "very proud" of Virg Bernero. He's looking forward to "raising the roof" when Virg Bernero comes down in a few minutes.
Update 8:52pm: Things are picking up at the MGM Grand ballroom in Detroit. The crowd's getting louder, more people are filing in.
8:30pm: I just talked to Virg Benero's spokesman Cullen Schwarz, and he says - despite what some media outlets are reporting about Rick Snyder's lead in the race - Schwarz and the rest of the Bernero campaign remain hopeful:
"Votes are what count and we're going to wait until we get some real reports from some real precincts about some real votes."
And this just in...it look like Detroit Mayor Dave Bing will be taking the podium at the MGM Grand shortly.
I'm at the MGM Grand in Detroit where people are slowly started to file in - emphasis on the slowly.
There are maybe 100 - 150 people. And, save for the big Virg Bernero banner above the stage and the one lone sign for Denise Langford Morris for Supreme Court, there's not much political paraphanalia around the room.
Several media outlets are saying that things look good for Republican candidate for governor Rick Snyder...and, based on the vibe in this room, it seems like the folks here got the memo.
Here's what the Detroit Free Press says about the latest poll results:
"Republican Rick Snyder headed toward a landslide victory in the race for governor over Democrat Virg Bernero, leading a possible Republican sweep of statewide offices, according to a Free Press automated poll of 2,000 voters statewide."
Keep you posted.
