While there are still some precincts that have not reported results, it is now clear that I came in second out of the six candidates in the race. I'm very proud of the campaign that we ran, and in awe of the level of support for this campaign.

There are some highlights in the results that bear mention. I carried four of the nine wards in the district with majorities ranging from 54% - 70%, and I received nearly twice as many votes as any other challenger.

I have so many people to thank, starting with my wife, Monica Lasky, and our daughters Cassidy and Chelsea, who reached into a bottomless well of love and support while putting up with an absent husband and father.

The heart and soul of this campaign was our amazing team: Gail Philbin, Chris Butler, Marquis Taylor, Erica Avery, Gerrick McKinnie, Will Cooper and Ashton Language. I cannot thank you enough for your hard work, long hours, patience, creativity, and good humor.

I'm overcome when I try to comprehend the outpouring of support for the campaign. Literally hundreds of people donated their time, energy and money. This was not my campaign - it was yours. Together, we knocked on doors, stood outside in the cold at farmers markets and "L" stops, phone banked, and rallied our friends, neighbors and families to the cause.

When the pundits write their analyses of this election cycle, we're going to hear a lot about cynicism, apathy, disgust, low turnout and the power of incumbency. However, in my campaign I also saw a different dynamic. I saw engagement, empowerment, and action. I saw people trying to take back the political process in their neighborhoods. I saw hope.

We ran this campaign around issues. We talked about the budget crisis, the need to create jobs and make Illinois a friendlier place to do business, reducing gun violence, protecting the environment, improving our schools, and ethics reform. Regardless of who is in office, these issues still confront us, and still need to be addressed.

Next Tuesday I'm going back to Springfield, as I have been doing for the past 17 years, to advocate for the important issues that affect our communities and our state. There are too many challenges that we as a society must overcome, and there are roles for many people in the coming policy debates. I intend to continue to be part of the process, and to work to ensure that our collective voices are heard within that process, whether in Springfield or in our community.

I hope that you too will continue to be involved. Our voices were heard yesterday, and there are many ways to effect change, whether through a political campaign, the legislative process, community activism, or just finding an old soap box and climbing up on it.

So even though we didn't win yesterday, we most certainly didn't lose. Thank you again.

With deepest gratitude,

Jonathan