Dear friends:
With your help, we waged a tremendous campaign for change. We held the Republicans accountable and showed Peter King that he cannot take re-election for granted.
While we came up short in the 3rd Congressional District, the Democrats have taken back both the House and Senate! This means the issues that we were fighting for - a new direction in Iraq, raising the minimum wage, ending the culture of corruption in Washington, protecting the environment - will finally take top priority in Congress.
As I said in my speech on election night, just because we lost doesn't mean we weren't right. We were talking about issues that matter most to the people of this district, and we gave a voice to those who have been denied their chance to achieve the American Dream. That voice was heard loud and clear. We can be proud of that.
Here's what else we can be proud of:
* We received the unprecedented endorsements of the three major newspapers in the district - Newsday, the New York Times, and the Herald, and we were even endorsed by Esquire magazine;
* We raised a record amount of money for a Democratic candidate in the 3rd District - over $910,000;
* In a district where only 29% of voters are registered Democrats, we received 44% of the vote!
* We created and mobilized an army of volunteers and activists - hundreds of people who knocked on doors, made phone calls, contributed money and wrote letters to the editor;
* We forced Peter King to spend nearly his entire warchest defending his seat. By some estimates he spent close to $2 million;
* The money King had to spend at home is money he normally gives in dues to the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee. That's money that would have been spent in other districts, against other Democratic candidates.
And so, confident in our achievements and excited for the future of our country, I wanted to say thank you for your support. I am deeply humbled by the hundreds of people who joined our fight, and I could not have come so far without your help. We shared an extraordinary experience together, one that I will never forget.
Thank you again for your extraordinary support,
Dave Mejias