Gente. Política. Principios.

​I needed a few days to reflect before putting my thoughts into words.

First, I am truly humbled and deeply grateful for the experience of running this race. I entered for the people of this district and ultimately this state because I saw an injustice with this current administration and nothing more. What began as an individual decision quickly became something much bigger. The “I” turned into “us.”

Over the past year, I have met workers who are struggling to make ends meet and who believe the minimum wage must be raised. I spoke with seniors who worked their entire lives and now find that Social Security alone is not enough to cover basic expenses. I saw firsthand the very real needs facing communities across North Carolina, and I sincerely hope Congress will work to address them.

To the people of Forsyth, Davie, Davidson, Rowan, and Cabarrus counties, I heard you. Your voices mattered, and I am grateful for every conversation, every vote, and every moment of support. While the people of High Point ultimately had the strongest impact in this race, I believe every community in this district deserves to be heard.

While this was not the outcome I had hoped for, one thing truly matters: the people of this district had a choice. All the candidates in this race helped ensure that voters had a voice in this election cycle. That means a great deal to me, because I believe democracy works best when voters are given real choices.

I want to congratulate Cyril Jefferson for moving forward and I know his road will be very bumpy. We know the Republican machine is well oiled, fine-tuned and ready. I hope Democrats across this district will come together to support him and help strengthen that effort.

As for what comes next for me, I will remain engaged in some capacity because our democracy still needs to be protected. My future path is not yet certain, but I would like to think this experience can be an opportunity to inspire those of you who feel helpless, tired and worn out, to think sometimes the most important step is deciding to do something instead of just talking about it.

I want to close with a reminder of the current race between Berger and Page of a 2 vote difference and a concession speech made by Melissa Bean on November 17, 2010, in Illinois where she lost her seat with a 291 vote margin. Her message as well as the Berger/Page race reminds us why participation matters and is so important:

“As we turn the page on an election with a 291 vote margin, this place will remain a reminder to all American citizens that their individual votes can and do make a difference to electoral outcomes. We're fortunate to live in this great country, where every vote matters. Thank you.”

Thank you to everyone who believed in this campaign and to the idea that stepping forward can still make a difference.