“We had faith that through hard work and perseverance, we could achieve so much,” Republican Patrick Morrisey, West Virginia’s governor-elect, said during his victory speech late Tuesday in Martinsburg. “I am committed to serving each and every single West Virginian … I’m going to stand by you.

“To every West Virginian who can hear me tonight: I see you, I hear you, and I’m no different than any of you. You deserve respect and dignity and (a) path for a better life. I’m going to help you find that. I will fight to protect your freedoms and eliminate all the barriers where you have the government standing in your way.”

That’s a refreshing and hopeful take in today’s political environment. Let us all hope Morrisey, during his term as governor, lives up to his promise — particularly that ALL West Virginians “deserve respect and dignity and (a) path for a better life.”

Morrisey’s acceptance speech also included kind remarks for his opponent, former Huntington Mayor Steve Williams.

“Steve was a gentleman,” Morrisey said. “He’s a friend. I want to thank him for his 12 years of service as mayor and for all his contributions to the state.”

Again, graciousness and gratitude. Could we perhaps be seeing the start of a new trend among politicians — a trend that sees them working fully for their constituents and not outside influences, a trend that allows our residents, our cities and our counties to prosper? How much further ahead would we be if that’s the path our next governor and the Legislature take?

Let us hope they do. These past 12 years, quite simply, have been exhausting. West Virginia needs hope along with sound, principled leadership and a clear vision of who we are and what we want our state to be that will allow us to forge a new future. That future must include opportunities for young people to stay in the state and make a life.

Morrisey will need help on that front, as he works through the transition period over the next two months and takes office in January. For West Virginia to reach its true potential, all of us must do the work — together.