“This evening, we saw the House of Representatives flip in favor of candidates who ran on real family values, advancing victory in the fight to ensure equality for women and our families. We saw voters reject leaders who used racism and bigotry to motivate support. Those who supported preserving and strengthening the Affordable Care Act, protecting access to reproductive health and abortion care and advancing equality and fairness in the workplace were successful.

We also witnessed a record number of women and diverse candidates running, winning and breaking down barriers around race, ethnicity, age, religion and sexual orientation. This year over 3,600 women ran for office from both major parties. These women said enough is enough; they didn’t wait to be asked and they will no longer wait to be heard. Their victories were spurred on by millions of women advocating and rallying through the Women’s March, the March for our Lives, March for Black Women, the #MeToo movement and opposition to Brett Kavanaugh.

But winning at the ballot box is only one step in our efforts to change our country to ensure that all women and all families have the ability to thrive and succeed. These candidates have a mandate to be bold and progressive in their efforts to ensure quality health care, end discrimination and sexual violence, fight for equal pay, champion paid family medical leave for everyone and protect women’s reproductive freedom. We will hold all our elected leaders accountable to that bold vision and we will channel women’s activism to ensure that Congress and state houses enact policies that respond to the women and families they serve.

It has been a difficult two years as we have faced sexism, bigotry and hate at every turn, but tonight the American people showed that we are better than this and that our best days are ahead of us. I congratulate all the women and family champions who won tonight and with that I say, let’s get to work.”