Democratic Texas Senate challenger Beto O'Rourke conceded on election night to Republican Senator Ted Cruz in a speech in his native El Paso that drew cheers from his supporters. The crowd was especially loud when he said, "I'm so f**king proud of you," and, "We will see you out there down the road."
O'Rourke had fought a surprisingly competitive race as he sought to become the first Democrat to win a statewide election in the ruby-red state of Texas in almost a quarter of a century. Although O'Rourke lost the race, his reputation remained sky-high, and a possible run for president—despite his strong denials—was already a topic of conversation Tuesday.
Here is O'Rourke's concession speech in full:
El Paso has produced some really great teams over the years. And I am very lucky I got to be part of one that came out of this community. For the last 22 months, it has been traveling to every single county in Texas, being there to listen to and show up for every single one of us. I'm as inspired, I'm as hopeful as I've ever been in my life, and tonight's loss does nothing to diminish the way I feel about Texas or this country.
Getting to be with and to see all of you tonight reminds me why we set out to do this in the first place. We're not about being against anybody; we're not about being against another political party. We're not going to define ourselves by who or what we're against, or afraid of, or scared of. We are a great people, ambitious, defined by our aspirations, the hard work we're willing to commit in order to achieve them. Now every single one of us—Republicans, Democrats, independents—from the biggest of cities to the smallest of towns, the people of Texas want to do, and will do, the great work of this country.
I just now had the opportunity to talk to Senator Cruz and to congratulate him on his victory and to wish him well going forward. And what I said, what I pledged on behalf of all of us, was that at this time of division—the country's been as polarized as I can remember in my life. All this bitterness that defines the national conversation today, if there's anything we can do to help him in his position of public trust to ensure that Texas helps to lead this country in a way that brings us back together around the big things we want to achieve, whether that's making sure we face any threats against this country, whether that means we're there for every single one of us who needs a helping hand so that we can live to our full potential, the ability to see a doctor, go to the hospital, receive the medication that you need to be alive, I want to work with him. I want to work with anyone to make sure that we can lean on that. You amazing public school educators who work so hard and do so much for so many of us, I'll work with him. I'll work with anyone—anyone, anytime, anywhere—to make sure in the same way that you've been there for us, that now we can be there for you. Not as Democrats, not as Republicans, but as Texans, as Americans.
I wanna make sure especially that this community that raised me, made me who I am, where Amy and I are so lucky and fortunate enough to be raising our kids, Ulysses and Molly and Henry, who are here with us tonight, that we offer our experience and our perspective and our courage and our competence on the issues that we know best. As one half of the largest binational community anywhere in the Americas, joined with Ciudad Juarez to form something powerful, magical, and nothing to be afraid of or walled off or to apologize for. I want to make sure that this proud community offers all it has to give to this country and to our future, to ensuring that our greatest days are still ahead and that the policy that we craft and the laws that we write and the way which we treat each other comes not out of fear, but comes out of confidence and strength, the kind heart that I've always known El Paso to have.
I am so—I don't know any way to say this other than, El Paso, I love you so much. I am so proud of you and this city and this community and what you mean to the rest of this country. And what you have achieved tonight along with so many other amazing people all across this state, the kindness and generosity that you have shown to me, to Amy and our family, to our campaign is amazing. It's why my faith in this state, in this people as a country, is in no way diminished at this moment. I know that we will continue to work to come together, to make sure that we live up to the promise and the potential of this country. I know it because I've met you everywhere that you are, I've listened to you everywhere that you live.
I want to thank tonight my family, beginning with Amy, who has borne the toughest burden, raising our kids, supporting me, loving me, giving me strength and encouragement at every step of the way, making sure we can finish this just as strong as we started it. I want to thank our kiddos. I want to thank my mom and my sisters and our family, all of whom are here tonight, for being such great examples to me. I love you guys.
I want to thank this amazing campaign of people, not a dime from a single PAC, all people, all the time, in every single part of Texas. All of you showing the country how you do this. So fucking proud of you guys. David and Jodie and Chris and Cynthia and everyone who works on this campaign, every volunteer, every ambassador, everyone who knocked on doors, everyone who made phone calls, everyone who allowed themselves to hope and to believe and be inspired by one another and turn that into action and into votes. And to do something that no one thought was possible. To build a campaign like this one solely comprised of people from all walks of life, coming together, damning the differences and deciding that what unites us is far stronger than the color of our skin, how many generations we can count ourselves an American, or whether we just got here yesterday, who we love, who we pray to, whether we pray at all, who we voted for last time, none of that small stuff matters now. It is the greatness to which we aspire, and the work that we're willing to put into it to achieve it by which we will be known going forward. This campaign holds a very special place in the history of this country going forward, and you have made that possible.
This team of which we are all members in some way is gonna stay together, is gonna continue to aspire to do great things. It may be in individual races, in individual communities. It may have nothing to do with politics. But each of us will find a way we can make life better for those in our communities in this state or in this country. There are so many great candidates that are going to come out of this campaign whose work I look forward to supporting and following and cheering on.
Just know this: I am forever changed in the most profoundly positive way. I am forever grateful to every single one of you for making this possible. I believe in you. I believe in Texas. I believe in this country. And I love you more than words can express, and that love will persist every single day going forward, making sure that whatever we have created, whatever we have changed, and all of us will decide what that means and how far it goes, that it leads to something far greater than what we have today, and that all of us, every single one of us, continue to believe and make possible the greatness of the United States of America. I am honored to have been able to do this with you. I am grateful forever, and we will see you out there down the road. Thank you, El Paso. Thank you, Texas. Thank you every single one of you for making this possible. I am grateful. I am grateful. Thank you.
