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John --

With over 50% of the vote counted, it's clear I won't be finishing in the top two in this election. I’ve called Marilyn Strickland to congratulate her on advancing to the November election, and I’m glad to see the second spot in the general election will also go to a Democrat. I'm confident the South Sound will have a strong advocate for our interests in Congress next year.

I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported this campaign over the last seven months, even while the world was turning upside-down. Thank you to everyone who donated, who volunteered, who showed up to our kickoff, and who sacrificed to get us this far. I am so, so deeply grateful for what you've done and for believing in our campaign. As the saying goes: don't cry because it's over -- smile because it happened. And get ready to continue the work.

Because despite the condition our country is in today, I still have hope. I still have passion. I still feel purpose-driven. I still believe in service. And I still believe there is a path out of the mess our country and our planet are in right now.

It’s the path that’s taken our country back from the brink before and brought justice to millions time and time again. It’s the path on which we utilize the tools and tactics relied upon by every generation of Americans who effected great change.

It's the tools and tactics most succinctly summed up by the great American leader Bayard Rustin: nonviolent resistance, constitutional means, and democratic procedures.

We follow this path taken by all those generations who came before us who accomplished the great projects of their time: the abolition of slavery, votes for women, the end of legal segregation, collective bargaining for working families, the creation of the modern environmental movement, marriage equality, and more.

We follow this path to accomplish the great projects of our time: global collaboration to end the corona crisis and the climate crisis; protecting voting rights and securing free, fair open elections for all people; the annihilation of white supremacy and antisemitism and the implementation of anti-racist laws; and an economy designed to lift people up, not keep them down.

We follow the path one step at a time, one day at a time, moving together in the right direction. When we stumble or we fall down, we stop and help each other back up. And then we start again.

And we never give up. Because America is worth fighting for. Because our planet is worth fighting for. Because our future is worth fighting for.

Stay safe, take care, and be well.

Phil

Paid for by Phil Gardner for Congress

Phil Gardner served as the District Director for Congressman Rep. Denny Heck in Washington's 10th District. Now, he's running to replace Denny in order to continue fighting for the people of the South Sound and our shared progressive values. If elected, Phil would make history as Washington state’s first openly LGBT Member of Congress.

To support Phil's campaign, donate here. We'd hate to see you go, but if you can unsubscribe: [link removed] here.

Phil Gardner for Congress
P.O. Box 2766
Olympia, WA 98507
United States