Bobby Valentine can add another loss to his record.
The former MLB manager came up short in the Stamford, Connecticut mayoral election as he conceded defeat to Democrat Caroline Simmons on Tuesday night.
The 71-year-old Stamford native was running for mayor as an independent and lost a tightly contested race that was ultimately decided by absentee ballots.
Valentine congratulated Simmons, a former assemblywoman of the Connecticut state legislature, in a tweet, but his concession speech took a much different tone.
According to the New York Daily News, Valentine bemoaned about media coverage and implied there were voters who cast ballots twice.
“Someone says maybe I’m supposed to thank the media for all the lousy coverage that they gave us or maybe even compliment [Simmons’ team] for the campaign they ran but I can’t do that with an open heart and a clear mind,” he said. “So I’m just going to say the campaign is over.”
Valentine continued: “It makes my stomach turn to think that in our city, that they’re actually telling me now, ‘Oh, someone voted in person and they forgot they voted absentee.’”
The mayoral race was the first political campaign for Valentine, a former Republican who managed the Texas Rangers, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox.
Valentine’s presence in the race gave it a national spotlight as former President George W. Bush — owner of the Rangers when Valentine managed the club — contributed $500 to his campaign.
Simmons received endorsements from former President Barack Obama and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont.
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