The transcript of Bernie Sanders' victory speech after New Hampshire

Bernie Sanders' first victory speech

Below is the complete transcript of Bernie Sanders's victory speech following his win of the New Hampshire Democratic primary.

SPEAKER: SEN. BERNARD SANDERS, I-VT., DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

SANDERS: Thank you.

Thank you, New Hampshire.

(APPLAUSE)

Shortly after the polls closed, Secretary Clinton called and was very gracious in her congratulations. I thank her for her call, and I congratulate her and her supporters for the vigorous campaign that they ran in New Hampshire.

And, let me take this opportunity to thank the many, many thousands of volunteers here in the granite state who worked so tirelessly. Our volunteers worked night and day, made phone calls, and knocked on a heck of a lot of doors, and we won because of your energy. Thank you all so much.

I want to thank Julia Bond and our great campaign staff. We have sent a message that will echo from Wall Street to Washington, from Maine to California, and that is that the government of our great country belongs to all of the people and not just a handful of wealthy campaign contributors, and their Super PACs.

Nine months ago we began our campaign here in New Hampshire. We had no campaign organization, we had no money, and we were taking on the most powerful political organization in the United States of America. Tonight, with what appears to be a record breaking voter turnout, because of a huge voter turnout -- and I say huge, we won. Because we harnessed the energy, and the excitement that the Democratic party will need to succeed in November.

What happened here in New Hampshire in terms of an enthusiastic, and aroused electorate, people who came out in large numbers. That is what will happen all over this country. Let us never forget, Democrats and progressives win when voter turnout is high. Republicans win when people are demoralized, and voter turnout is low.

Tonight, we served notice to the political and economic establishment of this country that the American people will not continue to accept a corrupt campaign finance system that is undermining American democracy, and we will not accept a rigged economy in which ordinary Americans work longer hours for lower wages, while almost all new income and wealth goes to the top 1%.

I want to take this opportunity again to congratulate Secretary Clinton and her organization and supporters for waging a vigorous campaign. I hope that in the days ahead we can continue to wage a strong, issue oriented campaign, and bring new people into the political process.

But, I also hope that we all remember -- and this is a message not just to our opponents, but to those who support me as well. That we will need to come together in a few months and unite this party, and this nation because the right-wing Republicans we oppose must not be allowed to gain the presidency.

As we all remember, the last time Republicans occupied the White House, their trickle down economic policies drove us into the worst economic downturn since the depression of the 1930's. No, we will not allow huge tax breaks for billionaires, we will not allow packed -- huge cuts to social security, veterans needs, Medicare, MedicAid, and education. No, we will not allow back into the White House a political party which is so beholden to the fossil fuel industry that they cannot even acknowledge the scientific reality of climate change (INAUDIBLE).

The people of New Hampshire have sent a profound message to the political establishment, to the economic establishment, and by the way, to the media establishment.

What the people here have said is given the enormous crises facing our country, it is just too late for the same old, same old establishment politics, and establishment economics. The people want real change. What the American people are saying -- and, by the way, I hear this not just from progressives, but from conservatives and from moderates, is that we can no longer continue to have a campaign finances system in which Wall Street and the billionaire class are able to buy elections.