This post was written by Hatchet reporters Brandon Campbell, Melissa Schapiro and Laura Whaling.
Cheers erupted from the Marvin Center Continental Ballroom as Fox News anchors reported that the Republicans had secured the necessary seats to win control of the Senate.
More than 50 GW College Republicans, many wearing suits, gathered Tuesday to watch the results roll in on big screens, celebrating each victory and coloring states red on a hand-drawn map. Republicans now control both houses in Congress, in a sweeping win that went better than many members could have anticipated.
Discussing political strategies and legislative priorities over the sounds of conservative TV pundits, volume levels swelled between projections of race outcomes and dropped whenever an announcement was made. And for the Republican students, most of those announcements were warmly greeted.
“It’ll be difficult for [President Barack] Obama to have his agenda, but it will be easier for Republicans to get things done in Congress,” sophomore Demri Scott said.
Freshman Lily Cunniff said she wished more students were engaged in the midterm elections, but was still happy with the night’s results.
“Midterm elections require a lot of deeper investigating,” Cunniff said. “People are apathetic, and most students and members of our generation look toward the easiest options, and will read a few celebrity tweets rather than read hours of CNN information and footage.”
The College Republicans celebrated when they finished their hand-drawn electoral map showing more red than blue.
“It’s a good change,” said College Republicans marketing manager Ian LeClerc. “It’s what the country needs. We don’t have to say it, the polls show it themselves.”
Republicans gained 11 seats and counting in the House. They also won at least six Senate seats that were “in play” – a big upset for Democrats.
Alex Pollock, the College Republicans president, said it was gratifying to see the results of the elections after members of his organization had helped campaign for several candidates.
“We’ve had people in New Hampshire, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and actually we have people right now in Sen. McConnell’s victory party in Kentucky,” he said.
