Coakley thanks supporters, charges them to fight on despite loss

Defeated Democrat Martha Coakley stressed to supporters late Tuesday that "our mission continues and our work goes on," even as Republican Scott Brown prepares to take his new seat in the U.S. Senate.

Amid a litany of thank-yous and special recognitions, Coakley -- once favored to win the race handily -- said she was "heartbroken at the result."  But she promised to continue fighting for Democrats as Massachusetts' attorney general, and she challenged her supporters to work equally hard to push for healthcare reform and other important Democratic goals.

"If you do not run, you cannot win, and you don't always win all of the time," Coakley told an emotional crowd that interrupted her frequently with applause. "But you put in your best effort, because sometimes it's more important to travel hopefully than to arrive.

"And we will continue to travel hopefully, I know that," Coakley added.

Even before Coakley spoke, Democrats had started pointing fingers, seeking to explain how Coakley's early, double-digit lead faded to a nearly double-digit loss.

National Democrats have privately demurred Coakley is at fault for failing to campaign more aggressively, while some of Coakley's staffers have expressed outrage that their party's leaders did not provide them more assistance.

Coakley herself briefly waded into that brewing dispute Tuesday night, assuring during her speech there would be "plenty of Wednesday morning quarterbacking about what went right and what went wrong." But Coakley stressed she nonetheless would "respect the voters' choice" of Brown to represent Massachusetts until 2012.

"I had hoped in the best interest our state and the country to go to Washington to address these issues," Coakley said, adding she would continue her work as attorney general. "I hope that as a nation and as a community, we can do better in the future."

"So, for me, and for you, tonight this campaign comes to an end, but there's plenty of work to do...," continued Coakley, now emotional. "And so, we will always remember our terrific Sen. Ted Kennedy, who said, 'The work begins anew, the hope rises again and the dream lives on.'"

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