While the outcome of this race may not be what we had hoped for, I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this journey. I would like to congratulate Representative Emma Mulvaney-Stanek. I value and respect the ideas that Emma brought to the table, the camaraderie we maintained through difficult debates, and her love and commitment to Burlington. I look forward to continuing to work with Emma, to advance the many areas where we have an agreement, and to address the issues we face as a city. 

 

As you know, the mantra for this campaign has been “All Hands on Deck.” And, I wasn’t sure if it was going to stick when I announced my candidacy 124 days ago - but each and every day since then all of you here tonight, and so many more, showed up to make the All Hand on Deck idea a reality. Our commitment is not just to the campaign, but to moving Burlington forward. For this, I am so grateful.  

 

Of course, I want to say thank you to my family. Ken and Julia, I could not have done this without your love and support. Running for office is hard, but having you by my side kept me going. Thank you, and I love you. 

 

And finally, thank you to the voters. It all comes down to the voters, and I’m deeply touched by all of you who placed your trust in me. 

 

While tonight is not what we hoped, let us not lose sight of the progress we have made and the values we hold dear. Our campaign was built on a foundation of hope and a belief in the power of community, and those values will continue to guide me in all that I do.
 

As we move forward from this moment, let us remember building a better Burlington requires all of us to continue to buy-in to local governance, lend a hand where we can, and keep the movement that we saw through the “All Hands on Deck” mantra going. My promise tonight is that I will remain committed to this work and to being a voice for positive change in our city. 

 

Thank you!