We arrived at Room 39 just a few blocks from the Bill Nelson victory party around 8:30. Scott and Susannah Randolph were walking up the street behind us, when Scott received a concession phone call from Sheri McInvale. He walked in to a chorus of cheers and gave a great victory speech. The best quote? "The people of Orlando have spoken and they have stated that our votes are not for sale!" Thank you's were given, and then all gathered could concentrate on the other races still in limbo.

I introduced my father around, introducing him to the various people inside our campaign, and then the people outside of it that helped us out so much. Commissioner Patty Sheehan (who knows how to win elections), Orlando Weekly columnist Billy Manes (who my dad thinks looks like Rod Stewart), and a couple guys from the I.B.E.W. all were happy to be celebrating with us. I asked Billy to put me in his column, but now I'm afraid he will.

Cheers went up when the Democrats took the House. The slide show was well received, but in a twist of irony, the projector we used had no audio output. Sadly, Charlie Crist won the gubernatorial race, and Ric Keller will be our representative in the House. Bill Nelson won, which is also sad, only because Kitty Harris will fade off into obscurity to go work on that tell-all book.

The most important thing to celebrate, of course, was our victory. So many great things were accomplished in the course of the campaign. We beat an incumbent that raised $1.2 million dollars, attacked us in every way and flooded the airwaves with a crappy commercial. We beat an incumbent by 22 points by getting help from people like Ms. Sheehan and Mr. Manes, and other people who believed in us, like Howie Klein at Down With Tyranny and Blue America.

Most importantly we won because we walked the streets and knocked on doors. We talked to the people of Orlando and listened to their concerns. Like Commissioner Sheehan said to me, "People are more likely to vote for you when you look them in the eye and ask them for their support." We got 13,000 of those people supporting us now.

Final Unofficial results from the Florida Department of Elections
State Representative
District 36
Sheri McInvale (REP) 8,777 38.9%
Scott Randolph (DEM) 13,758 61.1%