(WDCpix)

(WDCpix)

Michael Steele, chair of the Republican National Committee, said in a statement late Tuesday that he’s “deeply disappointed” about the Minnesota Supreme Court’s ruling on the state’s U.S. Senate race and Norm Coleman’s concession. Echoing the local GOP, he went on to state that in the contested election, Minnesota didn’t adhere to two principles that are at “the core of our democracy”:

“I am deeply disappointed in the decision made by the state Supreme Court, and I share the frustration of Minnesota’s voters. At the core of our democracy lies two concrete principles: No valid vote should go uncounted and all votes should be treated equally. Sadly, those principles were not adhered to during this election. While I would have proudly stood behind Norm Coleman had he chosen to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, I know that his decision to withdraw from this race was not an easy one, but one that he felt was the best decision for the people of Minnesota. For the last six years, Norm represented the people of Minnesota with distinction, earning a much deserved reputation as one of the hardest-working members of Congress. I, on behalf of all Republicans, thank him for his service and will miss his leadership in Washington.”