Representative Joe Kennedy Concession Speech

https://www.c-span.org/video/?475352-1/representative-joe-kennedy-concession-speech

Representative Joe Kennedy (D-MA) conceded to his opponent Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) after losing the 2020 Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Senate primary election. In an often-heated campaign which included targeting Senator Markey’s 44-year congressional career and Represenative Kennedy’s family legacy, the candidates repeatedly criticized each other for past votes even though they supported many of the same policies. The 39-year-old grandson of Robert F. Kennedy became the first Kennedy in Massachusetts to lose an election

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. THANKS FOR COMING. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I CALLED SENATOR MARKEY TO CONGRATULATE HIM AND TO PLEDGE MY SUPPORT TO HIM IN HIS CAMPAIGN IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. THE SENATOR'S A GOOD MAN. YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD ME SAY OTHERWISE. IT WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES BETWEEN US. GOOD ELECTIONS OFTEN GET HEATED. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE DEBATE'S, THE DEBATES, HIS COMMITMENT TO THE COMMONWEALTH, AND THE ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM HE BROUGHT TO THIS RACE. OBVIOUSLY, THESE RESULTS WERE NOT THE ONES WE WERE HOPING FOR. TO EVERYONE WHO FOUGHT WITH US, FOR EVERYONE WHO STOOD WITH US, FOR EVERYONE WHO BELIEVED IN US AND GIVE US THEIR SWEAT, TEARS, HEARTS AND SOULS TO THIS FIGHT, I AM SO PROUD. -- OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED. WHAT WE BUILT TOGETHER. WE BUILT A CAMPAIGN FOR THE PEOPLE THAT OUR POLITICS OFTEN LEAVES BEHIND. WE BUILT A CAMPAIGN FOR LAWRENCE AND FOR CHELSEA. FOR NEW BEDFORD, FOR ROCKS VERY, FOR BROCKTON, FOR SPRINGFIELD, LOWELL AND WESTERN. WE BUILT A CAMPAIGN FOR WORKING FOLKS OF EVERY COLOR AND CREED WHO CARRY THE ECONOMIC INJUSTICE OF THIS COUNTRY ON THEIR BACKS. WHO DON'T LIE AWAKE AT NIGHT WORRIED ABOUT POLITICAL LABELS, BUT ABOUT THE CHILD CARE BILL DUE FRIDAY. THE PAYCHECK THAT IS STILL A WEEK AWAY. THE IMPOSSIBLE BALANCING ACT OF KEEPING THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE HEALTHY AND SAFE AND SHELTERED AND FED IN AMERICA TODAY. WE BUILT A CAMPAIGN FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF ACCEPTING THE STATUS QUO, OR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING PATIENT FOR JUST A FEW MORE YEARS. THAT IS WHO WE FOUGHT FOR. THEY SHOWED UP TODAY. IN DROVES. THEY SHOWED UP FOR US BECAUSE WE SHOWED UP FOR THEM. [APPLAUSE] OVER AND OVER AGAIN, DURING THE COURSE OF THIS CAMPAIGN, AND NO MATTER THE RESULTS TONIGHT, I WOULD DO THIS AGAIN WITH ALL OF YOU IN A HEARTBEAT. [APPLAUSE] WE MAY HAVE LOST THE FINAL VOTE TONIGHT, BUT WE BUILT A COALITION THAT WILL ENDURE. THIS COALITION IS THE FUTURE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. YOU WILL FIND IT ON THE DOCK IN GLOUCESTER AT 4:00 A.M., THE SHIFT CHANGE IN QUINCY HOURS BEFORE DAYBREAK, THE BUZZING RESTAURANTS ALONG BLUE HILL AVENUE, SMALL BUSINESSES AND KIOSKS, LUNCH COUNTERS. OLD MILLS FROM FALL RIVER TO SPRINGFIELD BREATHING NEW LIFE AND NEW ENERGY AND A NEW FUTURE INTO THOSE BEAUTIFUL OLD BONES AND OTHER CITIES. YOU WILL FIND IT IN THE QUIET PRAYERS AT HOSPITAL BEDSIDE SLATE AT NIGHT. CROWDED KITCHEN TABLES, FULL OF BILLS TO PAY, CALENDARS TO ORGANIZE, TO DO LISTS TO MANAGE. THE DAILY DRUDGERY THAT SOMEHOW BECOMES THOSE PRECIOUS MOMENTS. YOU WILL FIND IT IN CLASSROOMS AND FIREHOUSES, REPAIR SHOPS, GROCERY STORES, ART STUDIOS, OFFICE BUILDINGS ALL ACROSS OUR COMMONWEALTH. WORKING MEN AND WOMEN ASKING FOR NOTHING MORE THAN A CHANCE TO BUILD A GOOD AND DECENT LIFE OR THEIR FAMILY AND A GOVERNMENT THAT MAKES IT EASIER, NOT HARDER , FOR THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE THEY LOVE. IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT I BELIEVE THIS PARTY STANDS FOR, IT IS THAT. IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT UNIFIES A BIG MESSY TENT, IT IS THAT. IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT WE HAVE TO PROVE TO UNDERSTAND WITH EVERY SINGLE FIBER OF OUR BEING AS WE STARE ON THE FIGHT OF OUR LIVES WITH DONALD J. TRUMP IN NOVEMBER, IT IS THAT. THIS CAMPAIGN, THIS COALITION WILL INDOOR -- WILL ENDURE. I AM PROUD TO BE PART OF THAT WITH ALL OF YOU. BEFORE I WRAP UP, A FEW WORDS OF THANKS. THE MOST INCREDIBLE GROUP OF STAFF, SUPPORTERS, VOLUNTEERS AND VOTERS OUT THERE, THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER][APPLAUSE][APPLAUSE]-- [APPLAUSE] I HAVE NO WORDS TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE. NO POSSIBLE WAY JUST TO SHOW HOW MUCH YOUR FAITH, TRUST, HOPE AND BELIEF IN ME THIS PAST YEAR HAS MEANT. WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN OF YOURSELVES TO ME AND TO EACH OTHER, TO THIS IS IMMEASURABLE. I KNOW WE ARE NOT DONE. I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHERE THE NEXT FIGHT TAKES YOU, WHAT YOU WILL DO TOGETHER AND OUR FUTURE WITH ALL YOU HAVE BUILT HERE OVER THE COURSE OF THIS CAMPAIGN. TO MY FAMILY, THE KENNEDY FAMILY , WHOSE NAME WAS INVOKED FAR MORE OFTEN THAN I ANTICIPATED IN THIS RACE. TO MY MOM, MY DAD, MY TWIN BROTHER, AND THE REST OF A ROWDY BUNCH OF CRAZY --, YOU ALL ARE MY HEROES. YOU ARE MY ROLE MODELS. YOUR MY EXAMPLES OF WHAT PUBLIC SERVICE SHOULD BE AND CAN BE WHEN IT IS DONE WITH COURAGE AND GRIT. THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME EVERYTHING I KNOW. FINALLY, TO ELLIE AND JAMES WHO PROBABLY WILL NOT SEE THIS UNTIL TOMORROW, THEY WANT UNDERSTAND IT FOR A VERY LONG TIME. IF THERE IS ONE MESSAGE FROM YOUR DAD TONIGHT, IT IS THIS, ALWAYS SPEND YOUR LIFE IN THE RING. IT IS WORTH THE FIGHT. THANK YOU EVERYONE, AND GOOD NIGHT. [APPLAUSE]