Thank you, South Dakota.

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Tonight, I called Dusty Johnson to congratulate him on his victory and to wish him success as he continues to serve this state. Running this campaign was a long shot – I knew that from the start. But when you care about a place, you step up, even if the odds are tough. I believed South Dakota was worth that fight and I gave it my all.

 

Standing here tonight, I feel a deep sense of gratitude and I have so many to thank:

 

To my team who worked countless hours:

• James, my campaign manager, who took a chance on me and stepped up when no one else was willing to.

• Leslie, my deputy campaign manager and field director, who has more energy than anyone I know and is a huge asset to our party

• Jim, Sharon and Carter, my communications team who did a phenomenal job

• Rahele, who kept us all organized and basically did anything we needed her to do

• Margaret, my volunteer treasurer, who put in many hours and kept us in line and on budget

 

Thank you to Tom Cool, our generous landlord who has been a mentor to me since he convinced me to run for office the first time 6 years ago.   His daily trips up to get his mail always resulted in encouragement or wise advice.

 

Thank you to Billy Sutton, Brian Bengs, Dan Ahlers and Jamie Smith for their support and advice on running a statewide campaign.

 

Thank you to all the many volunteers who helped in the office, addressed envelopes, walked in parades, knocked on doors, phone banked and held fundraisers for me.  A SPECIAL THANKS to my kitchen cabinet (James, Kevin and Sharon, Kathy, Craig, Margaret, Erina), who helped me get started, and to Shane, Larry, Dennis, Jay and Frank, who spent hours putting up signs across this state.

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To the donors who gave generously, and to every single person who believed in this vision for a better South Dakota – thank you. Every single dollar you donated, every hour you volunteered, wasn't just an investment in my campaign; it was a statement that Democrats in South Dakota have not given up on the future of this state, that we are here and we have a voice.

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Thank you to the South Dakota Democratic Party – you stood by my side when the national party had written us off even before we started. Dan, Krista and Joe – you guys are the best, and I couldn’t have done this without your support!

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Thank you to Shane, Jessica, and all the committee and district chairs. Your support has meant so much, and I appreciate all you did to help my campaign. One of my favorite things about this campaign was the chance to get to travel around the state and meet you all and the people in your communities.

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Thank you to all the other candidates who stepped up to run for office this election. We couldn’t have democracy without people willing to step up and give people a choice.  To those who won – congratulations.  To those who fell short – I know you gave it your all and I’m so proud of you.

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I also want to thank my family. Peter, you’ve been my rock, and I couldn't have done this without your support and love. To my daughter Kimberly for your help and moral support ‘behind the scenes,’ I thank you. And to all my daughters, Kimberly, Amanda, Jessica and Katelyn, I thank you for inspiring me to work for a better country.

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Now, while this election didn’t end the way we’d hoped, I want everyone here tonight to remember that losing an election doesn’t mean we failed. We only fail when we give up.

The challenges in South Dakota, the hopes we share, and the dreams we have for our state don’t vanish because of a single election.

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The future is bright, thanks to leaders like Dan, Shane, Jessica, our legislators, the experienced mentors and the incredible young Democrats rising up in our state.

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So, to every South Dakotan who has felt unheard, or unseen, or overlooked – your voice matters. Your struggles, your triumphs, your ideas for a better future matter.

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Tonight is just a single chapter, not the whole story.

 

I promise you, I will continue to be here, fighting alongside you, doing what I can to push forward our vision for a South Dakota that’s fairer, kinder, and open to all.

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I have always believed that you climb the ladder of success as far as you can and then you reach behind you and help others up the ladder and beyond your reach and that is what I will do.

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To everyone who supported me, who took a chance on this campaign, who believed that it was time for a new voice – thank you.

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This campaign may have ended, but our mission continues. We have shown South Dakota that there’s another way, that there’s a place here for everyone, and that we are just getting started.

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.

 

Let’s keep working together – we have so much more to do.

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- Sheryl Johnson

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