"On behalf of Andrea and my extended family up here, I want to thank you for being part of a campaign for Houston's future. You are making history tonight.

"It hasn't been easy. We've competed against seasoned politicians. People told us at the beginning that somebody having a positive campaign, appealing to folks in all neighborhoods couldn't win, but you know what? We've proved them wrong, haven't we?

"I want to say that there's many great supporters of Mr. Turner, Mr. Sanchez who love this city just like we do, and I tell you what, I think we ought to invite them to join us, don't you?

"They can join us in cutting property taxes first for those who need it most, people on fixed incomes. I'll do that as mayor. They can join us in putting more police on our streets so our neighborhoods are safer. We need that now.

"They can join us as I use my business skills to make our City Hall the most efficient and responsive in the nation. Wouldn't that be great?

"I can't wait to get started on my plans to fix the streets, have more flexible working hours and make it easier to get around this city.

"For those of you who've helped me so far, I want to thank you. There's so many wonderful people. And for those I'm now asking to join this campaign, supporters of other candidates, I want to tell you join us and this is going to be a campaign that you can be proud of just like we're all proud of it.

"It's a clean campaign. It cuts across all party lines. It's a campaign based on qualifications and issues, not the negative sound bites and mud-slinging that have characterized it too much.

"Houston deserves better than that, doesn't it? It's a campaign based on hope and not fear, and it is a campaign that can end the gridlock at City Hall so we can begin ending the gridlock on our streets and with the city's budget. Houston needs that now.

"I do not know where to begin thanking the friends and supporters but anybody's who has walked through our office has been amazed. It's been an amazing team. it's a team that looks like the face of Houston and I want to tell you this -- it's a crusade. It's a movement. It's a wonderful reform movement to take our city to the next level. A city that respects the diversity of our city, the diversity of all people, the diversity of all our heritage, the diversity of our religious beliefs.

"This campaign is not about me. It's not about the people on stage. It's about the future of Houston and we're going to take this city and take it to the next level. Let's get Houston moving."