The midterm elections are over and my campaign to represent you at the roundhouse has come to an end. Although my campaign did not prevail, I am very grateful and appreciative for all that I have gained during the campaign.

To begin, I want to thank all of the voters of our district. I have met so many wonderful people over the course of the last year. We knew that if we wanted a Legislature that represented the working people of this State, that if we wanted to change the direction of politics as usual, we needed to dig in our heels and get to work. And that's what we did.

• Together, we knocked on more than 5,000 doors

• Together, we mailed more than 13,000 flyers to voters

• Together, we raised more than $10,000

• Together, we built a campaign that captured the attention of the District, and

• Together we sent a message that we want change and we want a new direction.

You heard my message about changing the culture in Santa Fe and taking back our government; many of you responded with your vote, and I thank you.

Thank you to all who have donated to my campaign - whether you've donated money or your time, every dollar and every hour has made a difference. Voters in New Mexico 's 28 th District have spoken and I am grateful to all who cast their ballots for me. We gathered 44% of the votes cast.

Our vote canvass showed that a Democrat and a Woman can run and will win in this District.

Throughout the campaign, I spoke about values and about how our district deserved a representative who represented the values of you and your families. I have learned that it's not the office you hold in life, but what you do with it that matters. Effective leaders inspire us to have faith because of their absolute integrity, indubitable values, and incontrovertible principles. I ran for Representative because I am a citizen concerned about your representation in Santa Fe .

Our work is not done...

We knew all along that we wanted to be part of changing the face of power in this State, and we did just that. We knew all along that we could make this seat competitive, and we did just that. But there is always more to do. Our Legislature must live up to the tasks of tackling New Mexico 's most pressing issues. It's up to us to help them do just that and it's up to us to make sure they do just that.

This is not the end, but a new beginning...

The supporters of this campaign have demonstrated a tremendous energy and commitment to changing the direction of our politics. As long as there is work to do, I look forward to continuing that work - shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand with all of you.

Again, I want to thank the citizens of the 28 th District for your kindness, support, and friendship during the campaign. I look forward to meeting many more of you across the district and continuing to fight for a government that is more dependable, responsive, and truthful.

Shay