Annie Kuster Elected to the United States House of Representatives

CONCORD, N.H. – Tonight, Annie Kuster was elected to the United States House of Representatives. Following her victory, Annie addressed supporters at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord. Her full remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below:

Tonight, New Hampshire proved our independence once again!

I want to start by congratulating Congressman Bass on a strong campaign.

He and I don’t see eye-to-eye on most issues, but I respect him a great deal and wish him and his family all the best.

The truth is, this campaign wasn’t about him and it wasn’t about me.

It was about you – the people of the Second District – and the kind of future we want for our families, for our state, and for our country.

And tonight, with your votes, you said loud and clear that New Hampshire wants to move forward.

You proved that in the Granite State, we’re ready to put politics aside and do what’s right for the middle class and small businesses; for students and seniors; for veterans and hardworking families all across this district.

You proved that there are thousands of voters who are looking for leaders who can bring people together to get things done.

And you proved that a grassroots, people-powered campaign can overcome the special interests, overcome the status quo, and overcome the odds!

To our tireless volunteers who poured their hearts and souls into this campaign – tonight is your night.

You made the calls, you knocked the doors, you wrote the letters – you made this all possible.

I can’t thank you enough for the incredible campaign you built, but I can promise you this: I will bring the same grit and passion to Congress that you brought to this campaign.

So many people have given so much to this effort, but I want to acknowledge a few who have traveled this road with me for the past several years.

My husband Brad has been at my side every step of the way – during this campaign, and for the last 28 years.

Zach, my faithful driver; and Travis – I am so proud of you both. You inspire me to work hard for a better future for all our young people.

And then there’s my campaign family:

Our fearless leader, Garrick; our fundraiser, Emily; our superstars in finance and communications; and the best field team ever – you are amazing!

 

To our earliest supporters; to our A-Team volunteers and our Angel donors; and to the hosts of hundreds of house parties across this district – you stepped up when your state and country needed you, and I am so grateful for your support.

I also want to thank the many Republicans and Independents who crossed party lines to support our campaign; and who know that we can only solve the challenges we face by working together.

That’s the approach to politics I learned from my parents. And as I stand here tonight, I can’t help but think about my mom and dad. I wish they could be here to celebrate with us.

They spent their lives fighting for liberty, equality, opportunity, and fairness – and I know they would be proud of the campaign we ran.

My great-grandmother was a suffragette. My grandmother didn’t earn the right to vote until she was married with three children. And my mother ran for this seat in 1980, at a time when very few women were running for public office.

That’s why I’m especially proud to join Maggie Hassan, Senator Shaheen, Senator Ayotte, and hopefully Carol Shea-Porter in representing the people of this great state!

I come from a long line of strong women who taught me to chase my dreams. We’ve come an awful long way since my grandmother cast her first ballot, but we still have a lot more work to do.

And so in her memory, I promise that I will work every single day to move this country forward and get our government working for us again!

We all know that’s going to take commonsense and compromise. So here’s my commitment to you:

I will work with anybody, from any party, on any issue if I believe it’s in the best interest of our state.

And I will always stand up for what I believe in.

I will stand up for the hardworking middle class families I’ve met all across this district.

I will stand up for good jobs in our communities, affordable health care for our families, and the best education for our children.

I will stand up for equal rights, civil rights, and a woman’s right to choose.

And I will stand up for a government that reflects the decency, integrity, and generosity of the people in this room, and the people I have met all across New Hampshire.

These are the values we stood up for in this campaign. These are the values we all share. And these are the values I will fight for every single day in Congress.

I am truly humbled by your vote of confidence, and I will do my best to live up to it for as long as I have the privilege of serving New Hampshire.

Thank you so very much.