The Bilerico Project | Daily experiments in LGBTQ

Firstly, I want to again congratulate Senator Hagan on her nomination as the candidate to beat US Senator Dole in the 2008 senatorial race. I have told Kay that she has my full support and encourage you to work hard on her behalf.

To the staff, volunteers and bloggers who made our campaign so vibrant I thank you. We were a lean organization running a 21st century grass roots campaign. We took almost 20% (about 250,000) of the votes cast despite our lack of resources and the fact that nobody in NC had a clue who Jim Neal was 7 months ago. I am very proud of each and every person who volunteered their time and contributed to our campaign.

I've become a fan of this site and the blogosphere in general as a fantastic communications medium: the emergent Fifth Estate. Online activism is the future of politics and social change. I believe that the power of the blogosphere is only at the tip of the iceberg (and that iceberg is melting...) so keep your involvement and your voices in the debate.

Remember that the campaign was never about Jim Neal. It was about you. You are the voices of change. Change is only going to come from the bottom up.

Many of you have emailed me and asked "what's next?" Well, I've got a lot of people to thank and a campaign to wind down. Thereafter I'm taking some time (after 7 months and 35,000 miles on the road and not much sleep and too many pounds shed) to reflect. I don't know what the next chapter in my life will be. I do know, however, it will involve continuing to work for empowering the voiceless many most in need. I have heard them. They have made me a richer person. They still have my ear and I'm not about to walk away from them.

We all have a lot of work to do.

Thank you.

Jim

[cross posted at BlueNC]