I want to thank my wife Julia, stepson Cole and step-daughter Sydney, who have been incredibly supportive during this campaign. I am deeply grateful to our wonderful team of staff and volunteers, who have worked so hard. I hope you will never be discouraged by the results of one election – the work of making the city we love a better place to live goes on.

And that has been the work of this election. We did not run for personal gain, or to pad a resume, or as a stepping stone. This race has been about holding up our city to the light, being frank about what isn’t working, but also optimistic about what it can be.

I grew up in Washington. I had a very optimistic childhood and early adulthood and a it was a great time to live here. Then I lived elsewhere, but I came back. Yes, because my roots are here and they are strong. But mostly because I know that today and tomorrow can also be an optimistic and great time to live here. I know it.

We have some daunting problems in our city, and they have not been solved by this election. They will not be solved in any single election. But if we all keep our city held up to the light, during and between elections, the good in our city will eventually, and always, prevail over the problems.

And I promise you tonight I will do my best to contribute to that. And I hope you will as well.

Thank you.

- Peter Shapiro