Romney Concedes: "I Believe in the People of America"

“I wish all of them well,” Governor Mitt Romney said in front of a somber crowd at Romney Headquarters in Boston. “I pray that the president will be successful in guiding our nation.”

After a long year of campaigning, Romney congratulated President Barack Obama on his re-election tonight and provided his supporters with faith by touting Paul Ryan’s fiscal leadership.

“I want to thank Paul Ryan for all he has done for our campaign and for our country, besides my wife Ann, Paul is the best choice I’ve ever made,” Romney said. “ I trust that his hard work and intellect and commitment to principle will continue to guide this great nation.”

He also thanked his wife Ann, who spent countless hours on the campaign trail despite living with multiple sclerosis.

“I want to thank Ann, the love of my life, she would have been a wonderful first lady,” he said, adding thanks to his boys and their wives for their patience.
 
He then thanked his campaign and all of the volunteers who helped make his shot at the White House a reality.

“To you here tonight and to the team across the country, the volunteers, thank you,” Romney said. “You’ve inspired and humbled us.”

Romney wished Obama the best, but put his trust in job creators and small businesses to move the economy forward, an argument he made on the campaign trail. He called for Obama to reach across the aisle to “do the people’s work” in a time of great challenge, saying the founding principles of the country are the only sure guide for a better future.

“I so wish that I had been able to fulfill your hopes in leading the country in a different direction,” he said. “I ran for office because I’m concerned about America.”