The Boone County GOP watch party started with hope and a prayer.
James Haney – flanked by two TVs airing Fox News – led a prayer calling for peace, common ground, and he said a word for Andrew Bailey, the night’s VIP.
“Give him this office so that he can serve effectively and genuinely in matters of liberty, security and conscience,” Haney prayed.
While the Republican watch party largely focused on statewide races, across town, the Boone County Democrats were focused on local races and recognizing the grassroots work of volunteers during the past few months.
More than 150 people gathered at the Tiger Hotel for food, conversation and themed “True Blue Mule” and “POTUS Punch” cocktails.
"I'm still optimistic,” Leanne Peace said as she walked into the party. “I'm eager to see some positive results, and I just can't believe it can't go our way.”
Sisters Christy Garnett and Leanne Peace came to the party together in matching Harris/Walz shirts and denim jackets.
“We're here to celebrate some great returns for our local folks, and we're just wishing them the best, and we appreciate people putting in extra time and doing extra community action for such an important matter,” Garnett said.
As the night continued, the Republican watch party’s numbers and energy kept growing – crescendoing as statewide results poured in and it became clear that Republicans had again swept the slate of statewide offices.
After Attorney General-elect Andrew Bailey made his victory speech, the energy plateaued and attention turned to the presidential election.
A table near the front of the room was filled with college Republicans from the University of Missouri – donning MAGA Hats and Bailey stickers.
Henry Kidd was a first-time voter and said, like many in the room, he expected the Republican statewide victories.
“It was pretty much going to be in the bag from the get-go,” he said. “It wasn't a race I was as worried about compared to presidency, which is neck and neck.”
Worry for the presidential results – and the future – among young people was a common theme of the night.
The Johnson family all came to the Democratic watch party together. This included mom Danielle and her three daughters, 17-year-old Avery )who volunteered on a campaign), 12-year-old Maggie and 15-year-old Tessa.
“I am genuinely scared about a lot of the stuff and how the elections could turn out, because it really will impact my life,” Tessa said. “Honestly, there's so much important things going on with, like economic and climate and just human rights issues that could be decided, like, definitively with this, like the presidential election."
At about 10:35 p.m., a loud cheer went up in the ballroom as it was announced that Amendment 3, which restores access to abortion in the state, had passed.
And by about 11:30 p.m., all of Boone’s County’s 62 precincts were counted and attendees started celebrating wins in races such as Missouri Senate 19, Missouri House Districts 47 and 50, a local circuit judgeship, county treasurer and more.
As the party started to wrap up, out came the phones, with owners constantly refreshing the electoral count for President.
Most Democrats, including local chairperson Debbie Finley, said they didn’t expect there to be a decision Tuesday night, but many had considered the possibility of having to move forward after a loss.
"We have to find some common ground around values and around beliefs and around our American heritage, rather than letting uncivil discourse and division separate us."James Haney
“We can't let that sadness dampen the gains that we're making here in Missouri, and we have got to keep focused on Missouri,” Finley said. “We have to break the Republican supermajority in the House.”
There were just a few people left at the Republican watch party as midnight neared, and as results poured in, confidence grew about winning the Senate, the White House and maybe more.
Bailey took photos with attendees before cracking open a beer while chatting with friends and supporters.
On the other side of the room, James Haney, who led the watch party in prayer earlier, said tomorrow’s work includes bringing the country together.
“We need to be careful how we celebrate our victories and how we mourn our defeats,” he said. “We have to find some common ground around values and around beliefs and around our American heritage, rather than letting uncivil discourse and division separate us.”
And Boone County Democratic Chairperson Debbie Finley agrees. She said she hopes for connection, conversation and compromise in the days, months and years to come.
“I would like to be able to have a calm conversation where people are willing to listen to each other, to understand where each other are coming from, and try to find common ground,” Finley said.
“What is our country built upon? It's not built upon one group of people having their say always completely. It's about looking and talking with each other and saying, ‘I'm willing to give this. You're willing to give that. Here's the middle of the road and what's best for all of us.’”
The Associated Press called the race for Donald Trump at 4:34 a.m. Central Time Wednesday. He is slated to take office as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025.
