The Campaign Ends. The Calling Continues.

The voters have spoken, and I accept their decision with humility, gratitude, and respect.

I congratulate Deborah Adeimy on her victory and on becoming the Republican nominee for Florida's 23rd Congressional District. Campaigns require courage, sacrifice, and perseverance, and I commend Deborah for running a successful race. I wish her strength and success as she moves forward to the general election.

Although this was not the result we worked and prayed for, I leave this campaign with my head held high, my faith strengthened, and my hope for America undiminished.

To Everyone Who Stood With Us

To every voter who placed their trust in me: thank you. To every volunteer who gave their time, every supporter who opened a door, made a call, shared our message, attended an event, offered a prayer, or encouraged me during a difficult moment: you have my lasting gratitude.

You were never merely part of a campaign. You became part of my story.

I entered this race because I believe America is worth defending. That conviction did not begin with an election, and it does not end with one.

Freedom Is Never Abstract

As a legal immigrant from Venezuela, I learned early that freedom is neither automatic nor permanent. I know what can happen when a nation's institutions weaken, when government becomes more powerful than its people, and when citizens begin to believe their voices no longer matter.

America gave me the opportunity to become a citizen, earn a doctorate, spend more than 15 years educating young people, raise a family, serve others, and step forward as a candidate for the United States Congress. That journey remains one of the greatest privileges of my life.

Lessons I Will Carry Forward

This campaign taught me lessons that I will carry forever.

I learned that leadership begins with listening. Across Palm Beach County, I met parents worried about the future their children will inherit, seniors concerned about their security, educators fighting for their students, small-business owners working to keep their doors open, and families asking whether Washington still understands their daily lives.

Their concerns did not disappear when the polls closed. Neither will my commitment to them.

I learned that public service is larger than public office. A title can provide a platform, but it does not create a calling. Genuine service happens in classrooms, churches, neighborhoods, businesses, community organizations, and countless quiet moments when one person chooses to help another.

Most importantly, I learned once again that setbacks do not define us. Our response to them does.

We can meet disappointment with bitterness, or we can meet it with grace. We can allow one result to silence us, or we can learn, grow, and return to the work before us with greater wisdom. I choose gratitude. I choose faith. I choose hope.

The Work Continues

My campaign has ended, but my commitment has not.

I will never stop standing up for America. I will never stop defending freedom. I will never stop living my faith through service to others. I will continue supporting strong families, educational opportunity, religious liberty, responsible government, and the constitutional freedoms that make the American dream possible.

What comes next will be guided by prayer, reflection, and the same principles that brought me into this race. Wherever that path leads, I will continue showing up, speaking with conviction, listening with humility, and serving with a grateful heart.

This moment is not a conclusion. It is a new beginning.

To my family, my team, my supporters, and every person who believed in this campaign: thank you for walking beside me. I am proud of what we built, grateful for what we learned, and deeply optimistic about what lies ahead.

America's future remains bright—not because our path will always be easy, but because Americans have never stopped rising to meet difficult moments with courage.

May God bless Deborah Adeimy as she continues her campaign. May God bless the people of Florida's 23rd Congressional District. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.

With faith and gratitude,

Dr. Paola Branda