A crowd of about 40 Monroe County Republicans gathered at the Amvets Post 2000 Tuesday night, watching as the nation watched Indiana.
Though the room was relatively timid, quiet cheers and smiles broke out as the results rolled in.
The crowd stared up at a projection screen, which bounced back and forth between Fox News and local station rtv6 as the results poured in. An American flag hung above the news crawl.
“We’re expecting a full red wave,” newly-elected Bean Blossom Township Commissioner Ed Bitner said at the start of the night.
By the end, it appeared Bitner got what he came for.
Though Republicans struggled in some county elections, Trey Hollingsworth, R-9th District, maintained his congressional seat and Republican Mike Braun ousted Democratic incumbent Joe Donnelly from the U.S. Senate.
“I’m excited to continue to fight for Hoosiers, whether they be students or seniors, whether they be farmers or families,” Hollingsworth said after his win. “I want to make sure that everybody sees more opportunities, that everybody feels safer, that everybody gets a brighter, better future. I want to work hard for that.”
Hollingsworth said he’s going to prioritize advocating for term limits and lobbying bans in Congress.
“I want to continue to work on reforming Washington,” he said.
When asked about the “red wave” his constituents are excited about, Hollingsworth said he actually doesn’t watch any results on election nights and has no idea what’s going on elsewhere in the nation.
“All I know is I couldn’t be more honored to continue to fight for Hoosiers in Washington,” he said.
Bitner, who ran for Bean Blossom Township Trustee, said he supported Hollingsworth because of his openness and policies. He said the Congressman came to one of the Monroe County Republicans’ monthly breakfasts over the summer to talk.
“Hollingsworth answered my questions right on cue and right on par with what I would have said,” Bitner said.
Antonella Barker, whose husband Larry Barker ran for Monroe County commissioner in District 1, said she likes how Hollingsworth cares about veterans. She said the congressman came to a summit at Amvets last month to speak with a group of veterans about their concerns.
After the Congressman’s win was announced, Dave Cobb, chairman of Amvets’ Board of Trustees, pointed to his Trump 2016 shirt.
“How do you think I’m feeling?” He asked, grinning.
Cobb said the most encouraging part of the day was how many people voted.
“I was very happy to hear that they ran out of ballots today,” he said. “People are wanting a change. People are fed up.”
Cobb’s sentiment mirrored the general feeling in the room. All night, people talked about the idea that huge change could be on the way via the Republican Party.
“I think that we need to continue the momentum that the president has started,” Washington Township Board candidate Jerry Ayer said.
Around 10 p.m., the watch party chalked up their wins and packed up their belongings.
Though many of those running for local office faced losses, they still smiled and shook hands as the crowd dispersed. The night was a win for Indiana’s red wave.
A previous photo caption incorrectly spelled Antonella Barker's name. The IDS regrets this error.
