Jared Golden News Conference

Good afternoon everyone Thanks for your patience, waiting getting over here so I just wanna say very quickly that during this campaign, I've traveled North and South East and West to every single corner of this district and in the state of maine and although I came close to wearing out my pickup which some of you reported on uh don't worry it's back up and and running again it's just a fuel pump. So truck continues, but I realized really early on in this campaign before the votes were cast uh where the People really in this country live and that's right here in maine I've seen the Sun rise up in Washington, County it's gonna go down over the foothills of Western maine walking up in the morning at home in lewiston and then gone to bed later. That night. All the way up and allegation which was without question one of the best trips I've made this entire election. None I wanna thank senator troy Jackson and his son chase for extending that invitation I've met with Bloggers, lobsterman business owners and ship builders carpenters and plumbers educators entrepreneurs, folks doing well and those are the bit down on their luck, men and women, young and old and I've met mainers with multi generational roots right here in maine as well as those just arrived regardless of who they are, what they do or their station in life each and every person. I met on this journey had a common bond maine's their home and they're proud to be a part The fabric of our great state and today I wanna start by saying how proud I am to have to earn their trust, their support and their votes. Speaking of voters and I wanna thank them for educating themselves about the important issues casting their ballots in a manner designed to ensure the consensus candidate with the support of the majority of the votes amid majority of votes cast for someone to represent them in Congress using Voting we've determined the clear winner and the more timely manner than Louisiana and other States that hold runoff elections and I'm gonna go out on a limb. Here. I'm sure I'm not the only one in the state who is glad that we used an instant runoff system instead of holding another election who, in this day, wants to see another campaign, commercial uh wedged in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don't think anyone so I think this was a good system and it's one that worked well in also wanna. thank The other candidates in this race each one of them, regardless of differing opinions on how best to tackle the challenges that maine faces. We should recognize. The personal sacrifices made by those who are willing to step into the public arena to serve their fellow citizens. This is a tough time and politics and I'm proud of each one of them, for being willing to put their name on lead also wanna. Thank the Secretary of state and all of his staff for the very professional uh well done job Uh in a skillful job at that, despite intense and unwarranted criticism, they did their job. The way maine is always doing. They stayed focused I. couldn't be here without the love and support of my wife, izzy izzy. I also, I have to say um in my opinion, takes the award for the best campaign ad the season and in the entire country and our straight from the heart and able to break through a lot of negativity flying around, but more than that just so supportive of me and not just through this campaign and in this process, but really through four years of serving in the Legislature Nature uh being the assistant majority leader and in the maine House and thank you so much. I love you now. She's also skipping class right now, so uh you know, hopefully she gets a pass. Let me say, thanks to my campaign staff as well. Everyone of you have done an amazing job been given a lot of yourselves and it means a lot to me so thank you and to the volunteers, all over this district. There are hundreds and hundreds of you who work long hours knocked on doors in the rain the wind and the cold campaigns Can be tough but knowing that there are people like you who believe, as much as I did, gave me the energy I needed to run this race, is also want to call out uh a certain thanks to my good friend. Lily. It told the story on on the election night. My best friend and his daughter lily she's four years old uh we're sitting watching Tv during the Patriots game just a few weeks back and one on one of the attack ads came on and she said uncle jared. They wouldn't say those things about you on on Tv. If they knew who you were I., just thought that that said, a lot through the eyes of We're open in our politics, these days, but uh it's just an uplifting moment for me. I've spent a lot of time. This campaign telling you all who I am, I wanna talk right now about the people of maine who they are in the leadership they need and deserve in Washington. I believe in our campaign we've gotten back to the Democratic party's roots our movement and our party is about working people. It's about healthcare higher wages and social security. It's about the promises we've made to the working people in this country, promises in tend to keep it's my job to work For my constituents, no matter what party they belong to or whether they voted for me or not, but the average freshman congressman or congresswoman is expected to spend a big part of their work time fund raising how are you supposed to do your job. If you spend half your day, talking to big donors. I'm not playing that game I'm not gonna be a part time congressman. I'm gonna hold town halls, not just fundraisers and I won't be calling lobbyist, incorporate packs to dial for dollars where to trade. My votes for their contribution I'll be calling you the people of maine the only people I'm accountable to to make sure that I have earned your support. Instead of spending. My weekends, raising money. I'm gonna get back to maine on the first plan so that I can be at the mill gate before the Sun comes up four 30 in the morning to hear from the working people who move maine's economy forward, just like I've done throughout this campaign. I'm gonna keep visiting our docs farms and force so the fisherman farmers and loggers of the state will have a chance to make their voice heard The people of this district deserve a representative who comes to them. They deserve someone who will seek out their wisdom, who learns from their experience who knows them well enough to know the right boat to improve their lives and to represent them. That's what I've done during this campaign with an open heart and open mind I've listened and you know what the people I spoke with were crystal clear about what they wanted from their congressman. They want someone to have their back that's. Why. I'm gonna do everything I can to protect and expand access to affordable healthcare in To take coverage away from you or to let insurance companies discriminate against sick mainers. That's. Why I will fight tooth and nail to protect social security and Medicare so that mainers who worked hard and paid into the system can have a secure and stable retirement mainers want a new generation of leadership. People who will fix our dysfunctional political system that serves people first and foremost and I'm gonna do my part to give them what they deserve the truth is These are not radical demands. These are the demands of regular people. Democrats, Republicans and independents who recognize that we all do better when all of us get ahead together. These are the demands of people who know the best thing we can do for maine's economy is to make sure all maine families can afford the basics in life cover the emergencies that come our way and save for the future that's the vision of maine that I've fought for and then I will continue to fight for in Congress when I was in the Marine I've learned a thing or two about leadership. The best leaders were folks who didn't worry about who got credit for getting the job done. They just worried about getting the job done and when things went wrong. The best leaders with the ones who took responsibility and then work double time to get back on track. Imagine what Congress could do if we had more leaders like that in Washington, people willing to take responsibility and focus on delivering real results that matter that's the kind of leader I look up to and it's the kind I'm going to work hard to be for you in Washington mainers have a rich History of sending towering giants to represent us in Washington, people like margaret chase Smith and ed muskie bill cohen George mitchell Bay, along with my soon to be colleagues currently serving us and have always made all of us proud. I am both humbled and honored that the people of the second district have put their trust in me. I will work hard each and everyday to earn that trust. My name is jared proud to say I'm from leads maine living in representing the people of lewiston, for the last four years The maine state Legislature and even proud to say I've been given the honor of representing the best people. The people of maine in maine's second congressional district. Thank you so much and, let's get to work Yeah Does the on going to fight have any effect on your ability March I. don't think it's gonna impact. My ability to do the the job at all. Um look the process is what it is right now. I think we'll hear more from the judge and the court going forward on timeline, but I think we saw very strong statement today. It does not look like you know the judge is likely to believe that there are constitutional grounds uh for, for the case to really proceed, you read the statement just the same as I did so that being said Where will be seated on January third, we will begin our work on January. 30000 politics it's gonna plan that continue to legal battle. What would you say that That's right and you know I think that that's his decision to me, I respect that The fund raising um it takes money to win the election. Uh. How you know, look forward to working forward two years. If you're not dialing for dollars. How do you Already done, we just race five million dollars from over 60000 individual donors and average pop of less than a hundred dollars. We've proven that you can raise money. The small dollar way um by talking to everyday people and raising money as individuals and that is not just about big money. So we're gonna continue to follow that model was the first priority was down there. You gonna choose new Speaker. He said that you're not going to see what happens if she is the one before the House but I've been very clear that I am not going to vote for congressman pelosi with all due respect of the hard work she's done through many years. I believe, it's time for new leaders in this country and I'm gonna stand by them and I'll stand by that on the House floor. If I'd only have to vote for their they're, not the nominee of either Party alright so anyways no one has stepped forward that I am aware, but you know I talk alot about people young leaders like congressman, seth, moulton. Now I don't know that he's putting his name out there but he certainly someone. I respect And how this campaign started and how it ended and this waiting period if you consider sitting on way to go What is that Um you know it hasn't been that long Steve um and again we just finished what is essentially a runoff here and we did it faster than other States that are gonna be having election and they're gonna have to wait and go through. What could be along runoff campaign with a lot of money spent and and a lot of ads in money wasted. Frankly so I feel good about the process that just took place here in maine in terms of the last week um you know there's, a day when I Had the floors in the House mopped by 8 AM in the morning before is even get up uh. You know cooking dinner. Uh. You know, spending some time to to think about what's gonna take place in the next couple of weeks. Moving forward so it really has gone by rather quickly for me, I love you can concerns when I started and how you finish It's a process that you know it's a journey Yeah you know the campaign team is held together and gone about doing their their work actually has been plenty of work to be done in the field as we reach out to voters. Some who voted for me, others who engage in the ranked choice voting system so they continue to do their work the same way. They have uh through what 16 months of campaigning and what a great professional crew and they continue to do, a great job right through there today, so when I adorable margin on you know how we reaching out to Republican to Yeah we won by just over one percentage point right so that is a tiger race and how amazing 290000 voters and at the end of day a very tight race and we have the majority consensus. Winner here. So I feel good about that and I know that there are Republicans that voted for me. I also know there are some Democrats that may not, of so I'm gonna continue to be the representative I've been for four years now in the maine state Legislature where I have a proven track record of working across the aisle with people and very pragmatic problems and then finding results so nothing changes. There and, like I said I'm gonna make every effort to reach out to all constituents Ugh all businesses everyone know whether they supported me in this campaign or not. My job is to represent them now. You feel prepare your making Number two for five members That's right Your words not mine Steve it's got sorry. Geez um. It you are well hey um I'm not I'm not worried about that honestly, I'm ready to do the job I wouldn't put my family my name forward. If I wasn't This is I'd like to tell people why come from the institution that has the greatest faith of the American people of the United States military and um. You know, I'm now going to be one of many in an institution that a lot of people don't have faith in and I hope to do everything I can to restore people's face in it so Alright, one more question, what do you think of efforts to um. I from House Democrats to investigate the President supporting That's the last thing I'm thinking about right now to be honest with you. I've I have not focused on those discussions or debates through over a year of campaigning. I've talked about. I think things that we can really work with the Republicans on like and infrastructure package uh performing our politics, getting money out of politics, performing our election systems and making sure people have the you know the ability to freely cast their votes um so that's to me not the focus it's not why I ran for Congress and it's not high on my priority list right now. I think leaders need to be held accountable and that That includes every single leader that we have in this country but beyond that um not my not my top focus thanks a lot folks Great