I didn't expect to have this kind of opportunity to serve the country at this level so soon, but I take it as a huge privilege,

We need to create a new beginning by dealing with the very real crisis of leadership we face today. It’s why I ran for the Senate in the first place because we need a new perspective in Washington.

I feel greatly honored that you, my compatriots, considered me worthy of receiving such an unprecedented and overwhelming mandate to steer the affairs of our beloved nation at this critical time in our history.

These are challenging times in our nation. We are facing real and serious issues – from terrorism, protecting our borders to curtailing government spending. Tonight, voters recognized these are times that call for someone who brings real experience – in career and in life. I know this has been a hard- fought election and I give Georgians this promise, I will work together with anyone who wants to create a better path forward for Georgia families and I will fight each and every day to make your lives better.

I thank God for the privilege to serve our President, Goodluck Jonathan as well as distinguished Senators and honourable members who showed me great solidarity every step of the way.

To create a new beginning, it’s time for this eminent body, the United States Senate, to rise above partisan politics and do the right thing. It starts with leadership. It starts with making hard choices. It starts with telling the American people the unvarnished truth. It starts with no longer kicking the can down the road. It starts with having the courage to actually solve these problems, independent of how it might affect our re-election chances.

Extraordinary responsibility and is grateful for an opportunity to serve the Cherokee Nation. This journey is just beginning and we have a long way to go to see this through to fruition.

I am deeply grateful and honored for the opportunity to serve my country. I thank the President and his staff for their confidence in me and I am eager to work tirelessly on behalf of the American worker

This day is a day that is proud to me, having occupied the position that I did for the past twelve years, and been misunderstood by your race. This is the first opportunity I have had during that time to say that I am your friend. I am here a representative of the southern people, one more slandered and maligned than any man in the nation.

I am deeply humbled by the faith shown in me by the parliamentary leader and my party. I obviously step into massive shoes and look forward to the challenge

I came into politics because I love this country, I think its best days still lie ahead and I believe deeply in public service, and I think the service our country needs right now is to face up to our really big challenges, to confront our problems, to take difficult decisions, to lead people through those difficult decisions so that together we can reach better times ahead.

The ... moral responsibility ... of every leader is staggering—an opportunity to be of service to (literally) civilization. Or not.

We were told that we couldn’t win this election, but tonight we proved that with hope, hard work and the people by our side, anything is possible. May my story be an inspiration to some young person who is trying to grasp and grab hold of the American dream. And so, Georgia, I am honored by the faith that you have shown in me. And I promise you this tonight: I am going to the Senate to work for all of Georgia, no matter who you cast your vote for in this election.

I speak somewhat with humility whenever I address a group of Governors. If you will permit a personal reference at the outset, as many of you are aware, I have run for many offices in my political career. Twenty-three years ago I ran for the House and 4 years later for the Senate, and then for Vice President and then for President, and then for Governor and then for President. The only office that I have sought and have never won is that of Governor, so, therefore, I respect the Governors who are here tonight. To show that respect, as a demonstration of it, we have in our administration not only the Vice President, who served as the Governor of Maryland, but three other members of the Cabinet, who hold their respective posts with great distinction. I suppose that one of the reasons this administration feels so strongly about the relationships between the Federal Government and the various States, the necessity to have a new relationship to which I will refer tonight, is that we have that strong representation, the strong voice of those who have served as Governors and who, therefore, know what the problems are.