As a teary-eyed insomniac, I don't expect to make a lot of sense right now, so bear with me.
Politicians come and go, which is why tonight, my attentions were focused on Maine. Voting for rights seems so much more...institutional than voting in a person.
I'm going through all the various stages of grief, and I'm pretty removed from all things Maine normally. I'm currently in the bargaining stage right now--NY-23 is currently being sacrificed, and I'm mentally throwing in CA-10 as well.
I'm not going to harp on my feelings--there's been 1000+ posts of similar sentiments generated tonight in comments alone. All I think I have left is this.
Bill, I address this to you because I know your name, and I've read you with such a happy heart for so many years now, but to everyone who fought and canvassed and clenched their loved one's hands while hitting refresh at the Bangor News or New York Times site: We love you.
We aren't everyone, but we're a start. As of this writing, at least 237,638 of us in Maine, let alone hundreds of thousands of more of us elsewhere, watching and keeping you in our thoughts. We couldn't all agree on pizza toppings, but we can agree on something that seems so basic to me, but...never mind.
Bill, and everyone else who I haven't met but still wish the best to--I'm sorry. But we love you, and we'll be here for you tonight, tomorrow, and even after we manage to succeed on this. Have a hug on me. It's not much, but I hope it helps.