By Lynn R. Mitchell
Thank you! On Tuesday, we surprised the “experts,” but I know that we didn’t surprise you. Thank you for your support, your confidence, and your hard work.
A short while ago, I called Senator Mark Warner to congratulate him on his re-election and thank him for his public service to our Commonwealth. Following that call, I made remarks to our supporters and the media. You can watch the complete video of those remarks here.
I’m proud of the campaign we’ve run and this was a hard-fought race. And in the end, a shift of only 9,000 votes out of two million cast would have changed the outcome.
If I believed there was any conceivable way to find a path to victory through a recount, I’d fight as hard now as I’ve fought for our principles and policies throughout the campaign.
We’ve heard from supporters and voters with concerns about voting irregularities, and we have forwarded them to the Republican Party of Virginia to follow up on to ensure that:
- Every legitimate vote is counted, and
- That we protect against any such irregularities in future elections.
But even factoring in the possibility of these votes being counted, and after careful analysis and consultation with our legal team, I’ve concluded that the numbers just aren’t there and it’s time to accept the decision of my fellow Virginians.
I want to thank our volunteer army, the mighty G-Force, for their countless hours of hard work. As media and university polls consistently underestimated our strength, they always kept the faith.
Cathy and I thank YOU for your support.
God bless you, God bless the Commonwealth of Virginia, and God bless America.
Ed Gillespie
