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Last night I congratulated Dan Bishop on his victory. Our refrain on this campaign was Country over Party. I believe that when our country succeeds, we all succeed. For me, that means offering my help to Dan Bishop as he takes over his job representing us. I wish him the best.
To everyone who gave what you could in this campaign, thank you. I am so proud of you, and you should be proud of what we did together! #nc09 has been in Republican hands since 1963. A Democrat was never even supposed to be competitive here, and we came within an inch of winning.
Today is 9/11, and my thoughts are with my Marines. I must tell you that after serving with my platoon in Iraq, I learned not to use the word 'honor' lightly. Serving side by side with my Marines from every part of our country, that was an honor.
You all have given me a new honor. Over the last 27 months, you worked so hard. You invited me into your homes and your churches, your fish fries and campaign rallies. You let me listen to your stories and priorities. You believed in me and had my back every step of the way.
You took a conviction that we felt to change our country and you turned it into a movement to put country before party. To have shared this journey with you, to have fought to move our country forward with you, that has been my true honor.
Together we built a coalition, not based on your political party, or where you live, or the color of your skin. This was never a campaign about partisanship, this was always a campaign about values. We rallied around the idea that as Americans, we’re all in this together.
We didn't win this campaign, but that does not mean that we were wrong. And as long as there are people in power who thrive off our division, there is still work to be done.
Today, It’s OK to be disappointed. It's OK to be exhausted. We just knocked 100,000 doors in the heat! But it is not OK to give up.
Our mission to bring our country together was never a mission that could be accomplished in a single election. We may not have won this campaign, but there is no doubt in my mind that our efforts over the last 27 months moved our country forward.
Despite the odds, the people of North Carolina faced down the full force of voter suppression. When the people in power sought to silence the voters, when they stole their ballots and perpetrated the greatest election fraud in recent American history, we fought back, and we won.
We were not successful last night, but I want you to remember: victory postponed is not defeat.
So today, take a rest. But know that the mission to unite our country doesn’t end here. That mission continues. As long as this fight needs fighting, we must keep answering that call. #nc09
