Mr. President, 1 week ago, a near-record number of Americans carried on the grand tradition of voting in a national election and of passing the torch peacefully. There are many things we can say about what happened last Tuesday. It was not…
Mr. President, 1 week ago, a near-record number of Americans carried on the grand tradition of voting in a national election and of passing the torch peacefully.
There are many things we can say about what happened last Tuesday. It was not the result many of us wanted. But we live in a democracy where the will of the people is respected and followed, and the American people have spoken.
I congratulate President-elect Trump on his victory, and I look forward to speaking with him soon.
I congratulate Vice President Harris and Governor Walz for running a historic campaign. They can be proud of the incredible work their team has done over the last 4 months. The values Vice President Harris ran on will live on--individual freedom, opportunity for all, and working together to build a safer, stronger nation.
For those of us who have been given the honor of representing the people of our States, we look forward to serving, to governing, to working in a principled and bipartisan fashion, to reward the trust the American people have placed in us.
Now, to my fellow Democrats across America, it is natural and appropriate to feel deep disappointment, grief, and even anger in this moment. I understand those feelings. It never feels good to come up short. But when you do, you get up, you dust yourself off, you learn, and you prepare to do better in the future. You study what occurred. We will do that. You listen to what voters are saying, and you find ways to make government responsive to those wants and desires, those dreams, those needs.
And you also take the approval of the voters from places we each represent--those voters who sent us back to the Senate--and carry forth the principles we campaigned on and we won on, and you find ways to put those principles into practice as much as possible, while finding ways to work in a bipartisan fashion to get things done.
As I have told my caucus this week, we should regard this election not merely as a defeat but, more importantly, as a challenge. The American people have presented us with a challenge, and we must answer the call. We have to look at what we did right, what we did wrong, and what we didn't do but should have done.
First, we have to look at what we did right and continue to pursue those goals. Many of our Senate colleagues, after all, are returning to the Senate
despite facing strong headwinds. I will say more about that in a moment.
Second, we have to understand the things we did wrong and how we must change.
And, third, we have to look at what we didn't do but should have done.
We will have these important and necessary conversations in due course, and everyone must have a seat at the table. We must be honest. We must be practical. And we must never abandon the roots that have defined the Democratic Party for generations.
To Democrats who were back around in 2004, remember the grief we felt back then? It was a tough election, for sure. But what happened afterward? We got back to work to regain the trust of the American people. I was proud to be part of that process as chair of the DSCC. And just 2 years later, the tide turned in a dramatic way.
Finally, before I turn to the Senate, let me say this: I hope that, after last week, we can put to rest the fantasy of stolen elections and rigged outcomes.
Four years ago, the losing side refused to accept the will of the people, and it led to a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. This year, we will not go down that dark and violent path.
Now, let me go on to the Senate. Last Tuesday brought a mix of success and disappointment for Senate Democrats. In the final analysis, we hoped for a better result. As happens from time to time, control of this Chamber will change from one party to the other.
To Senator Brown and Senator Tester, we could not be prouder of the races you ran. More importantly, we could not be prouder of the legacy you have built here in the U.S. Senate. You are some of the finest people I have ever worked with in this Chamber. To both of you, I say: Thank you. Job well done. Job well done.
I have spoken to both Senators Tester and Brown a couple of times this past week. They are not ones to get down on themselves. They are going to be just fine, and they will continue to do great things for their home States and for our country. But I feel for the people of Montana and Ohio, who will now lose two incredible leaders.
To Senators Rosen and Baldwin, we are thrilled that you are coming back for another term, despite all the headwinds and obstacles you faced back home.
In fact, despite a difficult year for Democrats, four of our most contested seats will remain in the hands of Democrats. In one other State, the votes are still being counted.
Let me repeat that. Despite a difficult year for Democrats, which everyone predicted would be a place where we lost all of our seats, almost--despite that--four of the most contested seats will remain in Democratic hands: Nevada, Michigan, Arizona, and Wisconsin.
As I said, in one more State, the votes are still being counted.
Donald Trump won all of those States, but so did all our Democratic colleagues and colleagues to be.
Winning four Senate seats from the Nation's tightest swing States does not happen on its own. It is a testament to the incredible work Senate Democrats have done in this Chamber to benefit the American people.
With Democrats in the majority, the United States had its most successful and productive years in decades. Under our watch, this Chamber became a place where we got things done--amazing things done.
We passed bold legislation that lifted America out of crisis, rebuilt our economy, and invested in good-paying jobs. We passed the American Rescue Plan, the bipartisan infrastructure bill, the Chips and Science Act. We took care of our veterans. We defended Ukraine. We protected marriage equality. We passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which has done more to improve the environment than any other act and also lowered the cost of prescription drugs. And we did so much more. These accomplishments will continue to pay off for years and decades to come.
I am proud that the vast majority of our accomplishments were done in a bipartisan fashion. As a result, many of our incumbents are coming back, despite a tough year, and multiple swing seats will remain with Democrats.
Now, to my newly elected Democratic colleagues from across the country, I extend a welcoming hand. I met with these new Members just now in my office. We are excited to get to work. We are excited you are joining our caucus.
Now, let me turn to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Another closely contested election now comes to an end. To my Republican colleagues, I offer a word of caution in good faith. Take care not to misread the will of the people, and do not abandon the need for bipartisanship.
After winning an election, the temptation may be to go to the extreme. We have seen that happen over the decades, and it has consistently backfired on the party in power. So instead of going to the extremes, I remind my colleagues that this body is most effective when it is bipartisan.
If we want, in the next 4 years, the Senate to be as productive as the last 4, the only way that will happen is through bipartisan cooperation.
Democrats will be ready to do what we have consistently done: work with both sides when the opportunity arises. Democrats will never abandon our values, but neither will we reject an opportunity to move the ball forward to make people's lives better when we can. The question is, now, whether or not Republicans are willing to do the same.
To my colleagues on the other side, once again, do not abandon bipartisanship. It is the best and most effective way to get things done. It was true in the last 4 years, and it will be true in the years to come.
Finally, let me end with this. For millions of Americans, particularly those on this side of the aisle, this is a difficult moment. But as John F. Kennedy once said, ``Let us not despair but act.''
Let us not despair but act. Let us not give up on the dream that is America. Instead, let us do what those who came before us have always done. Let us persevere. Let us persist. Let us get to work.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.