Text of Sam's Concession Speech
Sam Locke’s Election Night Concession Speech
November 2, 2010
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
Good evening! A few moments ago I called Auditor of State Tim Berry and congratulated him on his re-election this evening. Auditor Berry and I have had different opinions on the role and approach the office should take over the past year, but he has served our state faithfully and I am certain he will continue to do so.
While I wish the results had been different, I accept and respect the will of Hoosier voters and suggest that we can still celebrate our achievements over the past year and a half - both politically and as a matter of public policy. Sometimes we can achieve, even while falling short from the original goal.
I am absolutely convinced that our pressure for more financial transparency helped contribute to the launch of the State’s new transparency website and, while we would have done more, it is a win for Hoosier taxpayers. Additionally, our ideas for modernizing and innovating the state’s financial management system and for creating meaningful “Statehouse First” government reforms continue to receive bi-partisan support. I’m also proud of the exposure we’ve brought to an important position many Hoosiers did not know existed.
Politically, we have led the most hard-fought campaign for this position by either Party in nearly three decades, and successfully challenged the process to say that a young man from Southern Indiana can stand up against the good-old-boy network that has controlled our State for too long. In doing so, I believe our Party has opened its doors to a new generation of leaders and embraced a new approach for mounting campaigns for Statewide office through our assertion that every county, every town, regardless of size or demographics, has an important role to play in electing Democrats.
For whatever faults this campaign may have had, they begin and end with me alone because I have been honored to work with the most amazing group of supporters, staff, volunteers, friends, family, and “Lockestars.” To name them all would take the rest of the evening, but I want to extend a special thanks to a few folks whose work has helped me more than these simple words can express.
Fayette County Chairman Tim Rose & Floyd County Chairman John Wilcox for their early support and encouragement.
Tony Long, Tim Southworth, Butch Morgan, Sherianne Standley and several other members of State Central Committee for being our advocates within our Party.
Montgomery County Chair Kathi Schrone and Eric Schrone for logging as many miles as your statewide ticket to ensure no Parade in Indiana was left without Vop, Sam, and Pete regalia.
The Monroe County Democratic Party, Chairman Rick Deitz and Vice-Chair Pam Warren, for allowing us to take up root at their wonderful facility in Bloomington.
The Indiana University College Democrats for the hours spent volunteering on my behalf and for allowing me to feed off of their incredible enthusiasm.
My energetic and hard-working staff over the course of the campaign- Shawn Walter, Brittany Brown, and Nicole Langert and a special thanks to staff member Jason Fricke, our campaign’s lead staffer, who, at such an early stage in his political experience, has done an incredible job managing the operations and voter outreach strategy of a major statewide campaign.
My family and lifelong friends who have supported everything I have ever attempted and, finally, the person who has perhaps sacrificed the most in allowing me to reach for my dreams - my top advisor, my best friend, and my wife, Kara.
In thinking of the results from this evening, I’m reminded of a line from a song I heard in Church growing up in Connersville. The line read, “we may lose a battle every now and then, but we’ve already won the War.”
It appears tonight that across Indiana, and indeed the nation, our Party has lost this battle. But we will win the war. We will win the war because we are the Party that stands with children, not corporations. Because we are the Party that fights for Veteran’s who have fought for us. Because we are the Party that creates solutions to complex problems, not the one who governs in soundbites. Because we are the Party who believes in reform while protecting jobs and workers. Because we are the Party that welcomes everyone and champions diversity. And because, even through all of this, we are the party that would still rather choose hope than nope.
Friends, because of you, this kid from Connersville has had the ride of his life - but the ride is not over yet. In the coming weeks, lets re-build, re-group, re-energize, reform, and re-ignite and let’s go win the War on behalf of our great State!
November 2, 2010
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
Good evening! A few moments ago I called Auditor of State Tim Berry and congratulated him on his re-election this evening. Auditor Berry and I have had different opinions on the role and approach the office should take over the past year, but he has served our state faithfully and I am certain he will continue to do so.
While I wish the results had been different, I accept and respect the will of Hoosier voters and suggest that we can still celebrate our achievements over the past year and a half - both politically and as a matter of public policy. Sometimes we can achieve, even while falling short from the original goal.
I am absolutely convinced that our pressure for more financial transparency helped contribute to the launch of the State’s new transparency website and, while we would have done more, it is a win for Hoosier taxpayers. Additionally, our ideas for modernizing and innovating the state’s financial management system and for creating meaningful “Statehouse First” government reforms continue to receive bi-partisan support. I’m also proud of the exposure we’ve brought to an important position many Hoosiers did not know existed.
Politically, we have led the most hard-fought campaign for this position by either Party in nearly three decades, and successfully challenged the process to say that a young man from Southern Indiana can stand up against the good-old-boy network that has controlled our State for too long. In doing so, I believe our Party has opened its doors to a new generation of leaders and embraced a new approach for mounting campaigns for Statewide office through our assertion that every county, every town, regardless of size or demographics, has an important role to play in electing Democrats.
For whatever faults this campaign may have had, they begin and end with me alone because I have been honored to work with the most amazing group of supporters, staff, volunteers, friends, family, and “Lockestars.” To name them all would take the rest of the evening, but I want to extend a special thanks to a few folks whose work has helped me more than these simple words can express.
Fayette County Chairman Tim Rose & Floyd County Chairman John Wilcox for their early support and encouragement.
Tony Long, Tim Southworth, Butch Morgan, Sherianne Standley and several other members of State Central Committee for being our advocates within our Party.
Montgomery County Chair Kathi Schrone and Eric Schrone for logging as many miles as your statewide ticket to ensure no Parade in Indiana was left without Vop, Sam, and Pete regalia.
The Monroe County Democratic Party, Chairman Rick Deitz and Vice-Chair Pam Warren, for allowing us to take up root at their wonderful facility in Bloomington.
The Indiana University College Democrats for the hours spent volunteering on my behalf and for allowing me to feed off of their incredible enthusiasm.
My energetic and hard-working staff over the course of the campaign- Shawn Walter, Brittany Brown, and Nicole Langert and a special thanks to staff member Jason Fricke, our campaign’s lead staffer, who, at such an early stage in his political experience, has done an incredible job managing the operations and voter outreach strategy of a major statewide campaign.
My family and lifelong friends who have supported everything I have ever attempted and, finally, the person who has perhaps sacrificed the most in allowing me to reach for my dreams - my top advisor, my best friend, and my wife, Kara.
In thinking of the results from this evening, I’m reminded of a line from a song I heard in Church growing up in Connersville. The line read, “we may lose a battle every now and then, but we’ve already won the War.”
It appears tonight that across Indiana, and indeed the nation, our Party has lost this battle. But we will win the war. We will win the war because we are the Party that stands with children, not corporations. Because we are the Party that fights for Veteran’s who have fought for us. Because we are the Party that creates solutions to complex problems, not the one who governs in soundbites. Because we are the Party who believes in reform while protecting jobs and workers. Because we are the Party that welcomes everyone and champions diversity. And because, even through all of this, we are the party that would still rather choose hope than nope.
Friends, because of you, this kid from Connersville has had the ride of his life - but the ride is not over yet. In the coming weeks, lets re-build, re-group, re-energize, reform, and re-ignite and let’s go win the War on behalf of our great State!
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