Concession Speech - November 6, 2018

I CALLED PHIL SCOTT TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON HIS WIN. PHIL IS GOING TO BE VERY COMMITTED TO THE FUTURE OF VERMONT. I AM PROUD OF HOW WE’VE WORKED WITH EACH OTHER. WE SPARRED WELL. I THINK VERMONT IS A BEACON OF HOPE. WE HAVE SHOWED TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY WHAT GOOD TO DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE.-- GOOD DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE. AND AS I HAVE SAID ALL ALONG IN THIS RACE, YOU KNOW I AM STANDING ON THE SHOULDER OF THOUSANDS OF VERONTERS, FIGHTING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND JUST, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I AM GOING TO TELL YOU, ONE OF THE MORE BEAUTIFUL STORIES THAT I SAW ON THE CAMPAIGN. YOU KNOW ON THE PRIMARY NIGHT I WAS UP ON THE … AND THIS BURLY MAN CAME RUNNING ACROSS THE PARKING LOT AND I THOUGHT UH OH I’M IN TROUBLE. BUT HE RAN UP AND HE SAYS, I THOGUHT YOU WERE GONNA LEAVE WITHOUT ME SAYING HELLO. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU. I AM SO HAPPY WITH THE WORK YOU ARE DOING. I JUST WANTED TO SHAKE YOUR HAND. VERMONTERS ALL OVER, WE ARE A WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE STATE. I LOVE VERMONT. AND THIS CAMPAIGN WAS TRULY A LABOR OF LOVE. A REAL DEMONSTRATION OF THE LOVE WE ALL HAVE FOR EACH OTHER. LET’S MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE THIS IN FRONT OF THE HEADWINDS WE ARE FACING TODAY. LET’S CONTINUE TO SHOW THE REST OF AMERICA WHAT GOOD DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE. AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS SUPPORT. I WANT TO THANK PAT, MY SPOUSE, JILLIAN CAME HERE WITH A BUNCH OF FRIENDS FROM SAN FRANCISCO AND WORKED HARD, MY SON DEREK, KIRSTEN, I’M VERY PROUD OF MY FAMILY. AND I WANNA THANK MY AWESOME AND INCREDIBLY COMMITTED STAFF…. AND SO MANY OTHERS. GRACE, ALL OF YOU HAVE WORKED SO HARD. WE’ NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE WHAT IS IN MY HEART RIGHT NOW. I WANT TO THANK EVERY VOLUNTEER AND EVERY DONOR WHO HAS HELPED OUT. THIS IS NOT THE END. THIS IS THE BEGINNING. WE ALL WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO MAKE A BETTER VERMONT AND NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WHEN YOU’RE ON THE SIDE OF JUSTICE.