Victory Speech - November 8, 2016

This is about California. This is about who we are. We are California, we are proud. So here's the deal guys, it's gonna be a long night, it's going to be a long night. We don't know how everything is going to turn out, and we know that there is so much to be proud of in terms of who we are as a state. I am so proud, I am so proud to represent this beautiful diverse state. So whatever the results of the presidential election tonight, we know that we have a task in front of us. We know the stakes are high, we know that we are making a commitment tonight with this celebration of this Senate race to do everything that we know needs to happen in our country to heal, to bring our country together, to fight for who we are and for our ideals, to be committed to what we know we have to do when we have been attacked and when our ideals and fundamental values are being attacked. Do we retreat or do we fight? I say we fight. And I intend to fight. I intend to fight for our ideals. I intend to fight for a state that has the largest number of immigrants, documented and undocumented, of any state in this country and do everything we can to bring them justice and dignity and fairness under the law and pass comprehensive immigration reform. Bring them out from under the shadows, fight for who we are. I intend to fight. I intend to fight for black lives matters, I intend to fight for truth and transparency and Trust, I intend to fight. I intend to fight for a woman's access to health care and reproductive health right. I intend to fight against those naysayers who suggest that there is no such thing as climate change, I intend to fight for our environment. I intend to fight for the civil rights of all people including those that we always fought for in terms of allowing them to marry the person they love, I intend to fight. I intend to fight for our students and invest in them and understand this is not about a cost, it's about an investment we cannot let them graduate with debt. An education is the only path to success. I intend to fight. I intend to fight big oil, I intend to fight the science deniers, all of those who would attack who we are in our values as Californians when it comes to leading and knowing where we need to be as a country. I intend to defend workers and their right to collective bargain and all that we know has to happen in supporting working men and women. I intend to fight for common-sense gun-safety because it's just the right thing to do. Let's have the courage to stand up to those who offer a false choice. They suggest you either in favor of the second amendment or you want to take everyone's guns away, that's a false choice. I intend to fight it. And I intend to fight to make sure that all of our communities are stronger. So guys here's the deal, our ideals are at stake right now and we all have to fight for who we are because here's the thing, this process and where we are right now in the history of our country, I believe is a pivotal moment in the history of our country. I believe we're at an inflection point. I believe we are at a place that is similar to that place in time when my parents met when they were graduate students at UC Berkeley in the 60s and active in the civil rights movement. I believe this is that moment in time that many of us in our personal lives have faced. When we had to look in a mirror because of circumstances in a situation, we had to look in a mirror and with furrowed brow we asked a question: who are we? I believe this is that moment in time for our country where we are collectively being required to look in a mirror and with furrowed brow we are asking a question: who are we? In California, I believe the answer is a good one. We are a great country. We are a great country and part of what makes us great is fighting for our ideals, fighting to make sure those words always ring true that we spoke in 1776, that we are all and should be treated as equals. Let's fight for our ideals and this is a moment that is challenging us. And I know we will rise to the occasion, I know we will rise to the occasion, so let's remember what Coretta Scott King told us so long ago. She famously said, the fight for civil rights, the fight for justice, the fight for equality, must be fought and won, si se puede. It must be fought in won. That fight for civil rights must be fought and won with each generation. She had two points: it is the very nature of this fight for civil rights and justice and equality that whatever gains we make, they will not be permanent, so we must be vigilant. The second point then is this, understanding that do not despair, do not be overwhelmed, do not throw up our hands when it is time to roll up our sleeves and fight for who we are. And that's what we are about to do and I could not be more proud to represent my beautiful state. And I want to close by thanking a few people. I want to thank my family who is on stage with me, I want to thank my family … I want to thank all of my friends who have been with me along the way, I want to thank my husband Doug M Hoff I want to thank my mother who is watching over this right now, I want to thank Loretta Sanchez because she is part of the American Dream and her parents are part of the American dream; I want to thank my goddaughter Hellena for that beautiful talk that she gave, and all of the volunteers, all of the supporters, my campaign team, my office team, I could not have done any of this without you so let's get to work. Si se puede.