A crowd of Congressman Harry Mitchell's supporters gathered at Tempe Mission Palms, waiting for the defeated congressman to arrive.
Mitchell, a Democrat who represented Congressional District 5 for two terms, lost his seat to Republican David Schweikert.
It was not a good night for the Dems,
Supporters applauded and chanted for a couple minutes before he emerged about 10:15 p.m. from a hallway with his wife and children.
After the obligatory thank-yous, he told the somber crowd that they sent him to Washington to make the tough decisions, "and that's what I did."
"I wouldn't change a single one," he told them.
He said that while there were many reasons to be disappointed tonight, looking back over the past four years, there were also many reasons to be proud.
Among them, raising the minimum wage for working families across the country, and passing historic healthcare reform helping millions of Americans.
As for what's next: "I'll enjoy a lot more time with my five grandchildren...we have a lot of stories to share." And, he said, there will be more trips to Costco.
Mitchell said he will continue to be involved in the community and causes he believes in. He urged his supporters to do the same.
"That's the only we will continue to move our state forward."
