State Treasurer Tim Cahill and Green-Rainbow candidate Jill Stein boasted of fighting hard in their campaigns until the very end to their supporters at election night receptions, despite finishing far back in the race for governor.
State Treasurer and independent candidate Cahill reaped 8 percent of the vote while Green-Rainbow candidate Stein took about 1 percent, with 97 percent of precincts reporting.
“It’s time to concede, and to honor those people who did better than us, who won more points, who got more votes,” Cahill said. “I said from day one that I want to stay in this fight until Election Day to let the voters decide and they’ve decided, and I accept that decision, although it’s hard for me.”
“But we have not lost. This is a great state and it will do well over these next four years, and I believe that this state is better because of the fight that we’ve had.”
Despite his loss and the challenges he faced as an independent candidate, Cahill’s supporters maintained a positive outlook.
“It had a lot of ups and downs but regardless we have always had a positive attitude,” said campaign spokeswoman Julie Sweeney.
Sweeney said despite mudslinging and false attack ads against Cahill’s campaign, his supporters and staff “remained very upbeat.”
“We have a very dedicated and loyal group of supporters who have really stuck with us through today,” she said.
Cahill, a Boston University graduate who grew up in Quincy, served as Quincy City Councilor and Norfolk County Treasurer before becoming the Massachusetts State Treasurer.
Many of Cahill’s family and friends attended the reception at the Copley Marriott Hotel.
Carmen Mariano, who was Cahill’s seventh-grade math teacher, has known Cahill since the candidate was 12.
“That’s why he made such a good treasurer,” Mariano said jokingly. “I taught him all the math he knows.”
Mariano also vouched for Cahill’s character
“Since I’ve known him he’s set goals for himself and he never stopped focusing on those goals, committing himself to those goals,” Mariano said. “Be that as the seventh grade quarterback on my football team, [or] the captain of my high school wrestling team. And he did it in every political office he’s ever held.”
Cahill’s four daughters ascended the stage to speak of their father’s hard work and passion for working for others.
“One thing that you can say about our parents is that they aren’t all talk,” said Devin Cahill. “All of us are constantly in awe of my mom and dad because they don’t just say these things, but they live by these principals themselves.”
Meanwhile in Dorchester, Stein also said goodbye to her campaign.
Stein, who announced her decision to run for governor in January, campaigned alongside her running-mate Rick Purcell with the help of volunteers and small donations, according to Campaign Office Manager Judith Foster.
“The most grueling part was collecting all the signatures needed,” Foster said, referring to the 10,000 signatures that need to be collected in order to get on the ballot.
“The other difficult part was eventually being included in debates,” she said. “It blew my mind that our democracy at first limited and shut out the third party.”
Stein, who is a physician and avid supporter of improving environmental-health issues, said her campaign was successful in establishing a community of alliances in western Massachusetts.
“We established alliances that are ready for change,” she said. “These alliances included high school students from low-income areas, college students who hit rock bottom with loans and the abandoned immigrant community being blamed for joblessness.”
Jasmine Laietmark, who attended the election party, said that although she is a registered independent voter, she was swayed by Stein’s intelligence and personal beliefs.
“She is very smart and I support her strategies that play an important role in representing an alternative to the two major parties,” she said.
Both Cahill and Stein ended their Election Night celebrations on an optimistic note.
Cahill thanked his daughters and wife for their loving support, despite his loss.
“How can a man be sad with this?” he asked, placing his arms around them.
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