By Kelsey Caudill and Taylor Moak

A teary-eyed Attorney General Jack Conway thanked his supporters and a crowd gathered in Louisville Tuesday after losing the race for Kentucky U.S. Senator.

News agencies like CNN called the race in favor of Conway’s opponent Rand Paul, Republican eye surgeon from Bowling Green, shortly after polls closed in Western Kentucky.

Conway said he called Paul to congratulate him.

“(Paul) is our senator and I think we all ought to wish him well…as he tries to do right by our state,” Conway said.

Conway said he told Paul that he is willing to work together to better Kentucky.

“I just told him on the phone that if he finds issues where we together can move the Commonwealth forward and better the lives of the people who are hurting right now, then this Democrat is at his disposal,” Conway said.

Allison Haley, Conway’s press secretary, said Conway’s loss will not keep him from continuing to serve Kentucky.

“ It’s been a long, fun ride,” Haley said, “and I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Jack Conway.”

Conway supporters were discouraged by his loss.

Kate Bringardner of Louisville said the loss was “disappointing but not surprising considering the national trend.”

Conway said he wanted those in attendance and those watching on camera to know his campaign’s platform.

“I want you to know that we were fighting for what we believed in,” Conway said. “We were fighting for senior citizens. We were fighting for students. We were fighting for veterans.We were fighting for a more inclusive society, and we were fighting for the women of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. We were fighting to move ourselves forward.”

Conway said that though he and his supporters campaigned heavily, it was not enough to secure the Senate seat.

“We fought hard, and though we came up short tonight, one of the reasons…is we were outspent by outside money five to one,” Conway said.

Conway said he would continue to fight for issues affecting Kentucky as long as he has the opportunity.

“If you’re fighting for those issues, if you’re fighting for those groups that I just outlined… put me in the cavalry with you, and I’ll fight with you every time,” Conway said.