I want to give a deep, heartfelt thank you to all of you who put your trust in me. It was a great privilege to run for Governor with your support and an honor to receive your vote. Our 145,000+ votes showed that there is a growing appetite for something very different from what the two major parties are giving us. When we began the campaign, few believed we would garner more than 1%. A Republican Liberty Caucus acquaintance pooh-poohed my candidacy, telling me directly I wouldnt get more than 0.5%. But I believed from the very beginning that anything was possible. And many of you did, too. We set many goals, we aimed high, and we ran to win. And alhough we didnt win, we changed a lot of minds regarding the seriousness of third-party candidacies. We forced a lot of commentators and media outlets not just to admit, but to argue affirmatively, that the debates should have included me. And the fact that major-party status was within sight and being talked about widely represented a major shift in expectations. But I want to emphasize some other successes that are more meaningful to me, and I hope to you as well: First, we ran a campaign that we all can be proud of. We campaigned in every area of the state and maximized personal interactions with the people of Virginia. We were relentlessly positive and we focused entirely on the issues, including many that were completely ignored by other campaigns and the media. We didnt take shortcuts or demagogue any of the issues. We attracted people from all across the political spectrum. We earned the media coverage we received and we earned every vote we got, and we did so by being substantive, honest, and forthright. Second, we inspired a lot of people. Over the last four months, we heard from so many Virginians who told us they were voting for the first time, or were actively campaigning for the first time, or were donating to a political campaign for the first time. We also heard from many people who told us that they had been politically active in the past but had become jaded, and that our campaign brought them back into the process and made them believe once again that politics can be honorable, politicians can be sincere and forthright, and public policy can once again serve the public interest and respect individual freedom and autonomy. That meant a lot to me and to everyone else on the campaign team. Third, we spread a worthwhile message. We argued consistently for freedom and equal treatment under the law. We stood up for the rule of law and against cronyism and special interests. We made more people aware of the Libertarian Party, which has championed those principles for four decades and counting, and we highlighted how Republicans and Democrats have undermined those principles. We stood up for both economic and personal liberty, putting forth a vision of a Virginia that is Open-minded and Open for Business. I have communicated my congratulations to Terry McAuliffe on his victory. As I said in my Election Night speech, we must do our duty to support him as our Governor to move public policy in the right direction. We should rally behind him when he is doing what we agree is right, and we must be constructive in our criticism when we believe his actions or decisions are ill-advised. Looking forward, I want to continue being a resource for Virginians who feel like the political system is failing us and restricting freedom or undermining the public interest. I hope to stay involved in the public-policy discussion and will continue to be an advocate for freedom, equal protection of the laws, and an open society welcoming to all. I know you will do the same, and I look forward to future endeavors where we can work together. But today, I just want to emphasize my sincere thanks to all of you who supported me over the last several months and on November 5. It is humbling and encouraging to know there are so many people who, without having met me, volunteered their time, hard work, professional skills, finances, and other resources for a cause that is greater than any of us. For that I am ever thankful. Yours, Robert Sarvis
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 03:46:13 +0000