John,

Yesterday, we made history.

I am so proud and honored to say that the people of Maryland have elected me your next Governor of Maryland and Aruna your next Lieutenant Governor.

I am so grateful to every one of you for the hard work you put in to make this improbable journey happen. You took this election personally. And I am grateful because you believed, at a time when that isn’t easy — when our days are dominated by cynicism and mistrust. At a time when those of you—those of us—who hope to be part of the solution are often told to wait our turn.

You believed that in this moment, our state could be bolder, and our state could go faster.

And you believed in the son of an immigrant, a graduate of a two-year college, a U.S. Army combat veteran, and a non-profit leader who had never run for office before.

Your support — your sense of purpose — carried us across this state we love, across all 24 jurisdictions, from the Western Mountains to the Eastern Shore. From my birthplace of Montgomery County to my adoptive home of Baltimore City. And everywhere in between.

Together, we built a movement of Marylanders from all backgrounds, all walks of life, all income levels — teachers, small business owners, nurses, union members — who lent your voices and gave your votes to this campaign. Who are saying with a collective voice: our time is now.

What we see today in Maryland is that we can come together.

When I was an Army captain and led soldiers into combat in Afghanistan, we lived by a simple principle: leave no one behind. But for too long in Maryland, too many of our families and neighbors have been left behind.

Last week, I lost my grandmother. She passed away at the age of 95. Her name was Winell Thomas and we called her Mama Win. Mama WIN. I could not think of a more appropriate name. Ella nació en Cuba – she was born in Cuba, and immigrated to this country from Jamaica. She taught public school for nearly 40 years. She came here to build a life, and she ended up building a legacy.

She also helped take care of me after my father died because he didn’t get the healthcare he needed. My father could have been saved, but he was left behind. I have seen how a society with broken policies can leave its people broken, too.

“Leave nobody behind” is not just a slogan. It is the value that will guide me as your next Governor. Our administration will fight to give every single Marylander the chance to succeed.

This is our time. Thank you again!

Elevate,

Wes