Thank you for the great honor and privilege to serve you in elected office once again. I am humbled and overwhelmed by this great opportunity. We return to the Senate on January 11, and I will be sworn in for the next legislative biennial at the Georgia Capitol.

A very special thank you to my wife Kari, sons Will and Ryan, daughter-in-law Gabby, extended family, friends, and volunteers for their unending support. You all make the difference in every election, and I am blessed.

It was a long national election cycle filled with emotion and passion. Elections are a profound expression of our great republic and liberty. We should never take for granted our freedom of self-determination.

Running for office is very difficult. Anyone who puts his/her name on a ballot will endure a tremendous amount of stress, as will his/her family, friends, and business. I respect and thank everyone who participated in the process.

Congratulations to those who won an election. I urge you to be magnanimous, build bridges, and serve with honor. After all, the goal of public service is just that – serving the public.

There will be a runoff election in Georgia on Tuesday, January 5, so be sure to make your voice heard. Washington D.C. can be a politically polarizing place. In Georgia, most of our work is bipartisan and working together. Unfortunately, the media tends to focus on and sensationalize two or three divisive issues when thousands of others pass almost unanimously.

I am working on several important topics for the 2021 legislative session. I will continue to work on the Max Gruver Act, which I authored last year. This legislation, in honor of the late Max Gruver and championed by his parents, Rae Ann and Steve Gruver, increases the penalties, transparency, and accountability for hazing.

We need election reforms in Georgia, and I plan to sponsor bills to dramatically improve the current process. It is time to reform the current system and take over that which cannot be properly done as well as provide more transparency and accountability to the process. We must have confidence and trust in our elections.

Georgia shattered the previous record and earned the top business ranking in 2020 for the 8th year in a row. This extraordinary accomplishment is a testament of the partnership between business leaders and government working together for the common good. I am proud of our continued work in the state senate and will be sponsoring legislation to assure we maintain our #1 status. As former President Ronald Reagan said, "The best social program ever created is a job."

It is time for everyone to take a deep breath and focus on the future. Thank you again for allowing me to serve you. Our greatest days are still ahead – God bless America!