Candidate for 151st House seat concedes, thanks supporters

As the final votes are tallied, it has become clear that this race will not end in the result that I and so many others had hoped for. We have fallen short of victory.

I am immensely grateful for all of the support that we have received since I began my candidacy. I am honored and humbled to have earned the votes of nearly 20,000 of my friends and neighbors. This experience has been unlike any other and I am so thankful to have gone through it with so many talented and amazing people by my side. I would not be here without the support of my entire family, especially the love and support of my wife, Cathy. I could not be any prouder of my team and the race we have run.

There was overwhelming support this year from Pennsylvanians eager to pull together and reset the priorities in Harrisburg for our schools and communities. This might not have been the year for the statehouse, but we can take heart that there will be change ahead for the White House.

Our campaign was able to mobilize more than thirty volunteers per day to knock on doors and turn out voters for Joe Biden. Pennsylvania flipped blue at the Presidential level in no small part due to our campaign and other statehouse campaigns across Southeastern PA. I am in awe of the incredible work our volunteers put in over these past weeks and I am heartened to see that it paid off in the presidential race. The work we have accomplished continues to add the momentum necessary to create lasting change to ensure a more just and equitable commonwealth.

This has never been about me, it has always been about amplifying community voices and fresh ideas that deserve to be heard, and genuinely represented, in Harrisburg. My opponent, unfortunately, still prefers to focus on me in his recent public statements in order to deflect from his own track record. It is disappointing that his fear of losing prevented him from engaging in an honest debate with me on the issues. Perhaps, as this realization sets-in, we may finally see progress in his next term as he hopefully delivers results instead of empty promises.

Across the 151st Legislative District, we saw an overwhelming repudiation of Donald Trump by voters in the middle of the aisle in favor of Joe Biden. During this campaign, we appealed to the members of our community who vote for common sense policies, and we earned more votes in this district than any Democrat in history.

Democrats had incredible turnout this year, but President Trump’s supporters also came out in higher numbers than in recent years. Though we were able to pick up substantial voters in the middle, the President’s supporters voted for their Republican candidates up and down the ballot.

The results of this election were not in my favor, but our fight for a better Pennsylvania does not end. So long as the voices of hate are enabled by politicians who fear their retribution, I will be there to challenge the status-quo of any politician that refuses to speak out and stand up for what is right.

I’m energized by the vibrancy and hope which lies ahead. I’m humbled to have served beside all of you in this effort, it was all so very worthwhile.

Today ends one chapter of this mission, but the next chapter starts tomorrow. History bends to those who strive for a better future, I’m confident that arc will continue because of each of you.