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<v 0>From the time that I declared for governor in January, 2020,</v>

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I sought to surround myself with a campaign team,

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comprised the professionals at the highest caliber people known throughout

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New Jersey for being amongst the very best in their respective fields.

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Most of them are here today. One such person has campaign council,

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mark Sheridan, who I trust implicitly and who, by the way,

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argued the state Supreme court case against borrowing billions to balance our

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state budget that I sponsored following election day as vote by mail

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and provisional ballots were counted.

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I would speak with mark Daley and ask him a single, very simple question.

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Can I win the election? And if I can not,

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should there be a recount late yesterday was the first time based on

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vote counts to date that mark Sheridan answered no while also saying

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we would continue to closely monitor the vote counts.

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And so I called governor Murphy earlier today and congratulated him on his

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reelection and wished him well and serving the people of New Jersey.

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Why are we in Raritan borough? 100 years ago,

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my grandparents immigrated to this country settling right here in Raritan.

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They raised their children at a four family house,

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not 300 yards from this very building, my parents who had,

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but one high school diploma between them raise their four children in this great

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borough. Starting out in my grandparents for family home.

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My dad worked 38 years in the street department for public service gas.

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He was a union pipe fitter.

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My mom worked midnights on the line for J and J two blocks from here.

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My parents owned a restaurant all the while,

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never leaving their employ at public service or J and J no two

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people ever worked harder. And every dime they made,

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went through their four kids. Reverend is where Melinda.

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I started our family in a two family house right across the street from my

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grandparents house. New Jersey is my home and it always will be.

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And for nearly two years, I traveled every corner of this state,

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engaging with new Jerseyans of every race, color, creed, and religion,

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listening and discussing their concerns.

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Talking about the issues that matter kitchen table issues,

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common sense solutions.

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It was an exhilarating experience that I enjoyed immensely being on the

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campaign trail only reaffirmed that the people of New Jersey are amongst the

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most decent and hardworking in the country.

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They are also the most frustrated for the state. They love.

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The state I love is broken.

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Adding to the frustration is political leadership that is out of touch with what

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it is that really needs fixing here in New Jersey.

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There are those who seek to get things done by raising taxes.

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I prefer to see things happen by fixing our problems.

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And so let me be clear.

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The people of this state do not want to hand out what they want is for us to fix

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the country's highest in the proper Texas.

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The country's worst in the nation business climate,

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especially for small business, a bloated and inefficient state government.

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That's been corrupted by special interests communities.

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People want them safe and secure by supporting our local and state police.

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And they want their public school curriculum to get back to basics and teaching

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critical life skills, providing vocational training and never,

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ever seeking to assume the role of parent.

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I was fully confident that in speaking to this issue,

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these issues each and every day with the people across the state who are proud

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to call as my fellow new Jerseyans, that I would win on election day.

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Of course there were those who thought I couldn't win.

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There were those who told me I wouldn't win fact is we almost did win.

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Why?

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Because every single time misguided politicians take this state too far off

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track the great people of this state push pull and prod it right

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back to where it belongs right back to where it needs to be the common sense

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center. I do not see the result of this election as a failure.

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On the contrary, I am proud of what our campaign accomplished, proud of,

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how we help reinvigorate the Republican party and mobilize new

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people. Who've never been involved before. So that end,

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despite those who told me, Jack, don't talk about the legislative candidate,

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just run your own campaign. We learned,

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we leaned into down-ballot races and the results were the greatest election

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night for Republicans. In 30 years,

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Republicans won eight targeted legislative races.

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We flipped six assembly seats.

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We defeated two and 10 and two Democrat incumbents in the Senate

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and picked up numerous seats and what many considered to be blue counties.

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And so I'm also proud that there's now a greater balance of power.

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And suddenly,

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suddenly I'm hearing Trenton politicians talk about lowering taxes,

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the kitchen table,

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common sense solutions and paying much closer attention to what it is.

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That's really bothering them every everyday in New Jersey,

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to those who are disappointed,

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that I'm conceding to those whose faith in our election system is shaken

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to those who are angry. That I'm not asking for a recount today.

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Let me say this.

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I've worked every day and night for 22 months to become new Jersey's governor.

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If you think I'd be standing here today, conceding,

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if I thought I won this election, you couldn't be more wrong.

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I hate to lose as mayor to seek,

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but I'm also someone who believes strongly in our Republic and our democratic

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processes. Enough votes have been counted.

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There does not appear to be a path to victory or the basis for a recount,

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nor do we know of any systemic or widespread fraud. So no,

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I see no proof that this election was stolen.

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As my campaign said, in a press release earlier this week, the new law,

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the governor rushed to an act led to this disjointed and excruciating

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slow vote county process,

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sadly in our current climate that slow count and constantly

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changing online numbers gives rise to doubt in the system and

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unfounded conspiracy theories that isn't healthy.

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The fact that we are 10 days past election and votes are still being counted is

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a problem for every close election to come. Voters do deserve better.

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I propose that the legislature in partnership with the county clerks association

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and the election board officials association standardize election reporting,

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we desperately need uniformity and strict reporting guidelines doing

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so would bring order to, and most importantly,

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renew faith in our system, keeping all that in mind.

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I say this to my supporters, let us continue to fight the good fight.

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Let us harness our frustrations and focus our momentum on what it is that

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made this campaign. So very successful, positive energy,

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positive messaging, positive, common sense solutions.

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Let us continue to keenly listen. And in.

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So doing here and elevate the concerns of people throughout the state,

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because on this election night, we sent a powerful message to Trent.

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And although it was never my intention,

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we sent the very powerful message to the nation. Our message is simple.

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We're tired of hyper-partisanship tired of divisiveness, tired of tone,

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deafness, tired of dismissing citizens.

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Real concerns here in New Jersey for a lot of individuals and families.

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Taxes are an issue standing in line at motor vehicles is an issue

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not getting someone on the phone at unemployment or any other state department

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is an issue properly.

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Teaching our children in school is an issue supporting our local and state

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police is an issue except excess government spending is an issue.

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The undue influence of special interests is an issue.

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Our hard work and success on election day lifted new voices that will be going

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to Trenton and carrying that message new voices that will work to fix

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New Jersey. A few thank yous.

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Thank you to the New Jersey Republican party for giving me the honor of being

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their gubernatorial nominee.

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Thank you to my campaign team for their outstanding effort.

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Thank you to our four children who inspire us every day.

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They do inspire us, right?

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Thank you to my wife, Melinda,

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who sacrifices made my candidacy possible.

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Thank you to Senator Diane Allen for being what I believe to be

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the best candidate for Lieutenant governor ever in the state of New Jersey.

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<v 1>[Inaudible].</v>

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<v 0>Most importantly,</v>

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thank you to the people of New Jersey for welcoming me into their homes,

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their neighborhoods, their communities, and yes, their favorite diners.

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I've been to every one. Our work is not done.

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Let us fix New Jersey together. Thank you also very, very much.

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<v 1>[Inaudible].</v>