Thank You
Dear Friend,
Thank you, each and every one of you. Thank you for your hopes and dreams, your checks and phone calls, your confidence in us, as you pulled a lever or punched a button in the primary and the general election. It is humbling to have 3.4 million Texans trust you with their future, and Melissa and I will never forget.
Let me remind you what each of YOU accomplished:
- You delivered the first Democratic candidate win in the Democratic primary in a multi-candidate race without a runoff since 1976;
- You delivered the largest vote recipient by any Democratic candidate for US Senate in Texas history (yep, it's true);
- We raised the most money on-line for any Texas candidate--we were #2 nationally on Act Blue; and
- We won in every major metropolitan area in Texas, including Houston, Dallas, El Paso, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, the Valley, Laredo and Austin ...to name a few.
Our opponent raised $18 million, and spent all but $ 616, 000, and we still won in the areas where we were able to advertise, though with a state the size of Texas, it was not enough.
And...We ended our $4 million campaign with no debt.
Life goes on. While it is never easy to lose an election, there are certain rewards, such as taking my son to scouts or planning a real vacation. When I reflect on the past year, what I am struck with, time and again, is how wondrous and beautiful Texas is, and how huge are the hearts of Texans.
I am proud to announce that I have become the Vice-president of Community Initiatives at Neighborhood Centers, Inc. (NCI). NCI includes Ripley House, Head Start programs, senior programs, charter schools and more. It is a $ 200 million operation, caring for Houston's seniors, youngsters and needy, giving folks a hand up, not a hand out.
As council member at-large, Melissa begins a new season of campaigning this year; she is up in November. Check out her website, www.melissanoriega.com. She would appreciate it!
We look forward to continuing in public service and encourage each of you to stay involved. God bless Texas.
With warmest regards,
Rick Noriega
To contact me: Neighborhood Centers Inc.
P.O. Box 271389Houston, TX 77277-1389
Phone: 713-667-9400
Email: rickjnoriega@gmail.com