Defeated St. John's Rural West candidate Richard S. Lewis has congratulated his opponent Michael Joseph following the constituency vote, pledging continued community involvement despite the loss.
According to Antigua News Room, Lewis issued a formal statement extending congratulations to Joseph, who will now serve as representative for the constituency. "Let me extend congratulations to my opponent, Michael Joseph, who will now become the representative of the good people of the constituency of St John's Rural West," Lewis said.
As a resident of the constituency himself, Lewis expressed his intention to remain engaged in local affairs. "I look forward to staying involved in matters that affect our community and from time to time working with him on issues that would prove beneficial to its livelihood and welfare," he added.
Lewis directed particular praise toward his campaign team, including Campaign Manager Kyron Simon. "We ran an excellent campaign in the limited time we were given," he said, acknowledging the efforts of supporters, volunteers, and well-wishers who contributed throughout the race.
He also paid tribute to his family, describing them as "my rock and my reality check, especially through the hard times," thanking them for their love, patience, and trust during the campaign.
Lewis reserved final words of gratitude for the United Progressive Party, thanking the organisation for the opportunity to serve his community and country in a political capacity.
"God bless the people of St. John's Rural West and God bless Antigua and Barbuda," Lewis concluded.
