It was the most exciting Tuesday night at Georgetown since, well, since Halloween last Tuesday. As the midterm election results slowly trickled in, the College Democrats and the College Republicans held two very different viewing parties to watch the political sea change.
In Sellinger Lounge, about a hundred students gathered to watch the results on the big screen at an event organized by the Dems. With chairs and couches arranged in rows, a supply of Domino’s Pizza and Diet Coke, and dim lighting for dramatic effect, the room buzzed with eager Democrats anxious for answers.
“It looks like it’s going to be a great event and a great night for Democrats on and off campus,” College Democrats Communications Director Or Skolnik (COL ’08) said early in the evening, when most races were still showing 0% precints reporting. “This is going to be one of the most exciting elections in at least my political memory.”
Jake Resnicow (COL ’08), who describes himself as a registered Independent, was one of the Sellinger viewers.
“This is awesome,” he said of the event. “It’s phenomenal that Dems would put something together like this. There’s a lot of energy.”
A rainy five-minute walk away, the College Republicans held a much smaller but no less raucous gathering in the living room of a Burleith townhouse. When I walked in, the CR board was enjoying Bangkok Bistro and Keystone Light while watching the percentages pour in.
“It’s just a board thing,” the College Republicans Deputy Chair said. “We wanted to keep it small because it’s a school night.”
While the Republicans conceded that they were on track to lose the House, they were confident about several local races that Georgetown CR’s had campaigned in, especially George Allen (R-Va) and Michael Steele (R-Md).
Both candidates eventually lost, according to AP results as of press time, although Allen’s race against Jim Webb (D-Va) was down to the wire.
College Republicans Freshman Representative Ryan Hart (SFS ’09), had stories to share about life on the George Allen campaign trail.
“I was campaigning for Allen in a highly Indian neighborhood, and all I heard all day was macaca,” he said.
Phil George (SFS ’09), another attendee, echoed Hart’s sentiment, saying “we would have won if we had one less corruption scandal.”
College Republicans Chief of Staff Margo Caldwell (SFS ‘09) had a more positive outlook, though. “I feel like there are a lot of great Republican candidates,” she said.
“It’s so close watching the numbers go back and forth so it’s exciting but also intimidating and nauseating as well.”
