Democrat Andrew Gillum lost his bid to become Florida¡¯s first black governor on Tuesday, suffering a razor-thin defeat to Republican Ron DeSantis in a contest that drew national attention and allegations of race-baiting.

¡°I want to encourage you not to give up,¡± Gillum, the 39-year-old mayor of Tallahassee, told supporters in conceding the race. ¡°I still plan to be on the front lines alongside every one of you when it comes to standing up and fighting for what we believe in.¡±

Republicans also scored a major victory in Ohio, where Mike DeWine, the state attorney general, defeated Democrat Richard Cordray, who served as the first director of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.