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Some words on the election from VA's 11th District Representative, Gerry Connolly
Connolly defeated his Republican opponent 57%-40%
"Last night, I was reelected to my fourth term representing Virginia's 11th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the hundreds of thousands of people who supported my campaign, whether by donating money, volunteering, or casting their ballot for me.
Elections are always about contrasts and choices. In this election, there were clear contrasts.
We're a divided country. It's not just Congress that's divided: our communities are divided; and our states are divided. And that's because we share some values and we differ on others. Do we believe it is a woman's right to make choices about her own body, or not? Do we think we need to revamp the immigration system in America, or not? Do we believe in global climate change, or not?
Because if we believe the answer is yes to these and many other questions then we actually have a responsibility to do something about it. Denial of those questions lets you off the hook.
We Democrats are a communitarian party. We fiercely fight for individual rights and have done so through our long and storied history. But at the end of the day, we reject those bumper-sticker, license plate slogans that say 'Don't Tread on Me" -- because that's only part of the equation. What about the next guy's right? What about that woman next to you? What about her rights?
It isn't just about us, individually; it's about all of us as a community. We belong to a Commonwealth in which your diminishment is mine. That distinguishes the Democratic Party from the other party. While we took some knocks around the country last night, I assure you those values are majority values and they are the values that will dominate our politics going forward."
Elections are always about contrasts and choices. In this election, there were clear contrasts.
We're a divided country. It's not just Congress that's divided: our communities are divided; and our states are divided. And that's because we share some values and we differ on others. Do we believe it is a woman's right to make choices about her own body, or not? Do we think we need to revamp the immigration system in America, or not? Do we believe in global climate change, or not?
Because if we believe the answer is yes to these and many other questions then we actually have a responsibility to do something about it. Denial of those questions lets you off the hook.
We Democrats are a communitarian party. We fiercely fight for individual rights and have done so through our long and storied history. But at the end of the day, we reject those bumper-sticker, license plate slogans that say 'Don't Tread on Me" -- because that's only part of the equation. What about the next guy's right? What about that woman next to you? What about her rights?
It isn't just about us, individually; it's about all of us as a community. We belong to a Commonwealth in which your diminishment is mine. That distinguishes the Democratic Party from the other party. While we took some knocks around the country last night, I assure you those values are majority values and they are the values that will dominate our politics going forward."
Note: This is a letter for distribution and is not bound by the 4 paragraph rule that covers copyright materials.