HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- “I can’t thank you enough,” newly elected Congressman Dave Brat said as he took the stage on Election Night Tuesday to celebrate his win of Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, a victory that began in June when he defeated former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
His family on stage with him – wife Laura, daughter Sophia and son Jonathon -- Brat began a roll call of the counties and supporters present at the Short Pump Hilton headquarters.
The 7th Congressional District stretches from Richmond northwest to the Shenandoah. It is comprised of 11 counties total; eight counties in their entirety (Page, Rappahannock, Madison, Culpeper, Orange, Louisa, Hanover, Goochland), and parts of four counties (Spotsylvania, Caroline, Henrico, Chesterfield), along with the west end of Richmond.
“My friends in the 7th, we have done our work tonight, and done our part to preserve this Republic,” Brat said. “I want to obviously thank everyone in this room for coming out, true friends from all corners, to celebrate your victory tonight.
"Thank you all for walking, and for knocking on doors, making phone calls,” he said to the people who helped get him elected to a district that hasn’t been represented by a Democrat since 1971. “It’s why we won tonight.”
He joked as he said “I heard I won two races tonight,” in reference to the seat he will occupy beginning next week, the one vacated by Cantor, as well as the term that begins in January. “Two wins in one night, not bad.”
“I want to let you all know I just got a very nice call from Jack Trammell, who ran against me, and he called and conceded me the good word,” Brat said of his opponent, and fellow Randolph Macon College professor Dr. Jack Trammell. Brat also wished Libertarian candidate James Carr “all the best going forward.”
“The first thing I want to do going forth is give thanks to God,” Brat said to thundering applause.
He thanked the activists, volunteers and staff who worked “so diligently over the past 10 months.” Tea Party supporters funded Brat's primary win, a win that marked the first time in more than a century that a candidate has triumphed over a majority leader — a victory made even more exceptional because Brat won with only $200,000.
“They came from the Tea Party, the Republican Party, the Libertarian Party, the Democratic Party, the Independents,” he said of his support team.
“It is a serious thing, you have entrusted your seat, and it is your seat – the people’s seat in the people’s house in D.C. – it’s truly one of the highest honors of my life and I will try to live up to your expectations and your faith,” Brad said.
“Looking at Washington right now and the out-of-control spending… failing economy, it is easy to get pessimistic as you look up to D.C. and look out at our nation’s future,” Brat said, and addressed the youth in the room as he said their future’s “don’t always look bright.”
“But this campaign should give all of us hope, because it puts the people back in charge of their government, and I think that brighter days are right ahead of us,” he said. “We showed the country that we can still make our voices heard and we still have a government of the people, by the people and for the people,” he continued, to cheers and loud applause.
“The title ‘representative’ is also the job description,” Brat concluded. “I intend to faithfully represent all the people of the 7th District, not just folks in this room, but every single person in the 7th.”
“I ask for your prayers, and your support, so I can do just that.”
Brat will be sworn in this week, and finish Cantor’s vacated seat and term immediately. The next term begins in January.
