My Fellow Democrats,
To say that I am disappointed in last night’s results would be an understatement, as I know it would be for many of you. The implications will take some time to fully assess, process, and come to terms with.
But the time for reflection must be brief, and must be followed by action. As the minority party in both Washington and South Carolina next year, Democrats must seek to work collaboratively across the aisle when we see opportunities to do good. When no such opportunities are available, we must clearly lay out the stakes and offer an alternative vision to our fellow citizens. In a democracy, there are no permanent victories and no permanent defeats. We must fight to ensure that last night’s defeat is as temporary as possible and that its negative consequences are minimized, especially for the most vulnerable.
I am hopeful for the future because of what I’ve seen from all of you during this campaign. I know how many doors you have knocked on, phone calls you have made, and resources you have donated; I thank each and every one of you for your efforts. The core of the South Carolina Democratic Party is strong. In South Carolina and the nation as a whole, while we suffered a setback last night, the Democratic Party is only getting stronger. If we have faith in each other, I can say with confidence that there will be brighter days ahead.
As we reflect today and act tomorrow, let us keep at the forefront of our minds that which is truly important, the things that inspire us to fight as Democrats. I am inspired to fight on for the countless families, like my own, who love their children and want them to have an opportunity to meaningfully contribute to our society regardless of what they have, where they live, where they come from, or who they are. When every child has this opportunity, we all benefit from their contributions.
I still believe we are stronger together. Let’s keep fighting so we can prove it.
Sincerely,
Jaime Harrison
Chair, South Carolina Democratic Party
P.S. I’ll be in touch soon with some announcements to begin preparations for 2017 and the 2018 election cycle.
