Thank You

By Elizabeth Warren, Reader Supported News

11 November 12

hank you.

This victory belongs to you!

To all the families who've been chipped at, squeezed and hammered, we're going to fight to level the playing field and get people back to work.

To all the small business owners who are tired of a system rigged against them, we're going to hold the big guys accountable.

To all the seniors who deserve to retire with the security they earned, we're going to make sure your Medicare and Social Security benefits are protected and that millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share.

To all the young people who did everything right but are still drowning in debt, we're going to invest in your future.

To all the servicemembers and their families who fight for us, we're going to fight for you.

To all the women across Massachusetts who are working their tails off, believe me, we're going to fight for equal pay for equal work.

To all of you, tonight is YOUR night. This victory is YOUR victory.

This was a campaign that broke records - raising money from more small donors than any Senate campaign in the history of the country. Knocking on more doors than any campaign in the history of Massachusetts. An amazing campaign. And let me be perfectly clear: I didn't build that. YOU did.

And you did what everyone thought was impossible--

You taught a scrappy first time candidate how to get in the ring and win.

You took on the Wall Street banks and the powerful interests and let them know, you want a Senator who will ALWAYS fight for the middle class.

AND, despite all the odds, you elected the first woman Senator in the history of Massachusetts.

Now, I don't have to tell you this was a tough campaign.

Senator Brown and I had our differences, but he and I just spoke and he sent his congratulations.

I hope you'll all join me in thanking Senator Brown for his service to the Commonwealth and to our nation. Bruce and I wish Scott, Gail and their daughters nothing but the best.

I also want to speak tonight to Senator Brown's supporters. The message you sent was clear: we need leaders in Washington who are willing to break the partisan gridlock and to work together regardless of party. I know I didn't earn your vote, but I'm going to work hard to earn your support.

There are many people to thank tonight, but I start with my husband Bruce. You're the best. I also want to thank my kids, my three beautiful grandchildren, my brothers, my in-laws, my cousins, my nieces and nephews in Massachusetts and across the country.

Senator Kerry, Governor Patrick, Mayor Menino - thank you for your support, for your encouragement and, most of all, for your leadership. You were real fighters in my corner, but it's what you do every day for the people of our state that is truly remarkable.

To our Congressional delegation. To all our Mayors and legislators, council members and sheriffs. To the nurses, firefighters, teachers, janitors, carpenters, laborers, men and women of the building trades and ALL our brothers and sisters in the labor movement. To the LGBT community. To the women's groups. To the environmental groups. To the ministers. To the credit unions. To the more than 700 small businesses supporting us and the student organizers and the netroots and the Democratic Town Committees. All of you - all of you - had my back, and I will always have yours.

And I want to thank the single best grassroots army that any state has ever seen. From every volunteer who knocked on doors and talked to voters to my incredible staff who worked more hours than I thought humanly possible: Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And to everyone who shared your hopes and dreams with me and put your faith in my ability to fight for you, I want you to know this:

I will never forget.

I will ALWAYS carry your stories with me in my heart.

And I won't just be your Senator, I will also be your champion.

Tonight isn't over - because we have a lot of celebrating left to do.

But I want to close by noting that it was EXACTLY 50 years ago tonight that Senator Ted Kennedy was first elected to the United States Senate. We miss his passion, his enthusiasm, his energy, his commitment to fighting for working families.

That night, 50 years ago, he said that he would "dedicate all of [his] strength and will to serve you in the United States Senate." For 47 years, he lived up to that promise. Tonight, I pledge to do the same.

Thank you and God Bless.

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