Cornilles' Concession: I Didn't Like What They Said About Me and My Business

WWeek:

<img src="http://www.wweek.com/portland/imgs/media.images/7790/111214_rob_cornilles_tax_credits.t2.jpg"/>Republican Rob Cornilles offered the typical congratulations and concessions after his decisive loss to Democrat Suzanne Bonamici in Tuesday's special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by ex-U.S. Rep. David Wu, D-Ore.

But he also got some sharp shots in at both the attack advertising and the media for the way he was portrayed during the campaign. It's not unusual for a losing candidate to feel a bit roughed up, but not everyone vents his frustration as clearly as Cornilles did.

Here's an excerpt.

Along the way, perhaps the biggest disappointment is that those who opposed me found it necessary to try and undo all the good that small businesses like mine accomplish in our state.

My wife and I have employed 60 people, and helped hundreds more launch profitable careers around the country. We’ve welcomed discouraged job-seekers into our door, and after a little bit of time training them and introducing them to industry, we’ve seen them leave with the joy and self-worth a new job brings.

But voters got a different story about the work that I do, and that’s unfortunate....

Another matter that must be addressed: Divisive language wasn’t limited to just the topic of my well-regarded business. Over the course of this campaign, those who adamantly opposed me tried to paint me as someone who does not stand up for or support women. In my personal life, in my professional life, in the charities I choose to volunteer for, in the people I have hired over the years, I have always stood up for women, and particularly women who have fallen on hard times. Anyone who convinced you otherwise has misled you.

You can read his complete speech from Tuesday night here.

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