Three Cheers for John Brownlee. Hip Hip Hooray ! ! !

The proper way to concede.
Offer your hand, your help, your support, to your opponent.

Dear Republican Friends:

Well, the Convention is over, the votes have been counted, and we came up a little short. Although the actual result will not be officially released (Dave Foster and I asked that Ken Cuccinelli’s nomination be made unanimous), we understand our campaign mustered approximately 42% of the vote in the 3-way race. For that, I greatly appreciate all who attended and supported our campaign.

As I said at the conclusion of the Convention, I endorse Ken Cuccinelli, I support him, and I will do whatever I can to ensure that Ken is elected the 45th Attorney General of Virginia. Steve Shannon, who served in the House of Delegates and as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Fairfax, will be a formidable opponent, and we all need to work hard to help Ken get elected. I told Ken on Saturday that I would help him prepare for the upcoming debates and would participate in strategy meetings if requested. We have held the Attorney General’s office for the last 16 years, and turning the office over to the Democrats would be disastrous.

Lee Ann and I have told Ken, Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling that we will help them in any way possible as we move forward. We look forward to working toward Republican victory this November for our statewide ticket, as well as for our House of Delegates and local candidates.

So many friends and supporters – including a good number of those who considered us their “second choice” – have already written or called to ask, “What’s next?” The answer to that question will take some time. As you know, the call to service runs deeply in my family. In time, I am confident I will be able to find another opportunity to serve my country and my commonwealth.

I am immensely proud of the campaign we ran these past 12 months. In the last 365 days, I traveled more than 100,000 miles across Virginia. We have gone from Lee County to the Eastern Shore, from the NC border to the Beltway – and every point in between. I have met so many wonderful Virginians, each with a story to share.

Back in the Roanoke Valley, friends old and new rallied around the Brownlee family and helped us with receptions, fundraisers, babysitting and rides to school for the girls. Their efforts were the inspiration for calling our volunteer network, “Team Brownlee.” This campaign was truly a team effort, and I was honored to be a part of it.

In almost every corner of the Commonwealth, Lee Ann and I made new friends and were amazed by their willingness to join our efforts to help make the Republican Party a winner again. We will never forget the effort you put forth for us and our campaign. Again, I was honored by the support and commitment of each and every one of you.

Of course, I should also thank the more than 100 Sheriffs, Commonwealth’s Attorneys and local law enforcement personnel who supported our campaign and helped get us attention early on. While I am so grateful to all of our law enforcement leaders, I want to particularly thank Virginia Beach C.A. Harvey Bryant, Chesapeake Sheriff John Newhart, Dinwiddie C.A. Lisa Caruso, Harrisonburg / Rockingham C.A. Marsha Garst, Chesterfield Sheriff Dennis Proffitt, Chesterfield C.A. Billy Davenport, and Bedford Sheriff Mike Brown for going “above and beyond the call of duty” on so many occasions.
I also want to thank former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore for his support.

Finally, I want to thank our Campaign Manager David Johnson and the wonderful team he put together. David led a group of outstanding professionals who fought hard and never gave up. I was proud to be a part of such a great team, and greatly appreciate their efforts.

Whether or not you supported our campaign, I want to thank you for your service as a Republican delegate this year. I look forward to working alongside all of you as we put Virginia back in the “Red State” column this November.

Best wishes,
John Brownlee

Authorized and Paid for by John Brownlee for Attorney General