Tonight, Florida proved the experts wrong. The polls said we were behind. They said this campaign had run out of time. But the people of this state had something else to say. Together we built a movement that reached every corner of Florida and tonight we won 66 of 67 counties across this state.

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who believed in this campaign. The volunteers, the organizers, the communities that welcomed us, and the millions of voters who showed up when it mattered most. I especially want to thank my wife and my four kids. They remind me every day why public service matters and why this fight is worth it.

My life has never been about privilege or political connections. I’ve worked in communities, stood up for people whose voices were ignored, and believed that government should belong to the people it serves. That belief powered this campaign and it’s what will guide the next one.

I want to thank Paletuatoa Peniamina and the voters who supported him. Campaigns can get heated, but Democrats share something bigger than our differences. Now we come together.

Because the real contest begins tonight. Governor Samuel Sharp and his allies have money, power, and the advantages of incumbency. But we have something stronger. We have people. We have momentum. And we’re going to build the coalition that defeats a multi-millionaire governor who has forgotten who government is supposed to work for.