This was originally
a comment in the morning Victory Thread, but what the heck! I don't see any other diaries saying it, and it needs to be said:
Thank you to the Democrats who ran in this election, and lost.
While the rest of us are gushing about winning the House, the states, and probably the Senate, many good people last night actually lost. People like Tammy Duckworth. These candidates rose to the occasion when their country cried out for them, and gave voters all over the nation a strong alternative to the Republican "morality."
I need to acknowledge these people. Please join me in doing so. Having done nothing more than volunteer a few hours of my time and some paper out of my wallet--relatively easy things to do, in the grand scheme of things--I was still able to comprehend the astounding commitments of time, energy, money, and personal resolve required of anyone who would mount a serious run for national office. That so many people stepped up to the challenge is to their great virtue--and it is also a testament to the new vitality of this party, the netroots, and the ordinary people everywhere who don't want to stay the course any longer.
Many Democrats ran for Congress this cycle mostly on their own, in difficult races that garnered little national attention and no serious party resources. Yet these people would ultimately become the foundation of our success. The campaigns of these redoubtable candidates, who lost their own races but, in so doing, diverted GOP resources away from other races in which we did go on to prevail, gave us a fighting chance to retake the House. Their spirit contributed to the national excitement that helped us to win races at every level of government, in every state. Their participation in this election is what democracy is all about, and is the only way for a healthy "government by the people" to flourish.
To those who ran and lost: Thank you all. You did more than your share, and we are in your debt. "We," the Democratic Party. "We," the American people. "We," the whole world.
Everything changes now. Please take that as some consolation, and please accept my personal gratitude.