We have always said that we need to meet this moment together. And tonight, with the working families of the 8th Congressional District behind us, we did. I am grateful for their support and their faith in our campaign.

This campaign would not have been possible without the support of my wife Alex, and I am very thankful for the sacrifices that she has made to make tonight possible.

I would like to thank my parents for instilling in me the same spirit of public service that has guided them throughout their lives. I hope I have made them proud in how we conducted our campaign.

To our fellow candidates, Ane and David, I thank them for their contributions to this race and for their spirited campaigns.

Our mission from day one has been to meet as many voters as possible to understand their challenges and their aspirations. Since declaring our candidacy, we have visited every municipality in the district, going to places of worship, small businesses, community events, parades and everything in between. And we haven’t stopped.

Our district and our country face a multitude of challenges. We are ready to face those challenges head on and believe our campaign reflected this district’s grit, grind, and hustle every single day. It’s been an honor to connect with so many voters and we are immensely proud of tonight’s results.

It is time to fight for the values that this district and this country were built upon. When we declared our candidacy on January 6th, we did so knowing the challenges facing our country. Since then, we have seen Russia launch a land war in Ukraine, the Supreme Court indicate its intention to overturn Roe, the massacre in Buffalo, and then Uvalde – a community that looks much like the one I grew up in. I think about these challenges every day and they weigh on me, as they do on the entire country. But I believe we can overcome them because I believe in this country and what it represents. I will never stop believing in this country and I will never stop fighting for this district. Onward to November.