A large and excited crowd of Democrats gathered Tuesday night at Camp North End for what they had hoped would be a victory celebration for Vice President Kamala Harris, who was seeking to become the nation’s first woman president. A thumping band played pop music, and two bars flowed with alcohol amid excited chatter.
“I’m feeling hopeful that humanity will win,” Anthony Wright, a 42-year-old Charlotte educator, said early in the evening. “I’ve been nervous, but everything’s been pretty good so far.”
Within hours, the mood inside the watch party hosted by the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party (Mec Dems) would shift decidedly. And by the time statewide election results were announced — confirming that Harris had lost North Carolina — the crowd had thinned to a quieter, more nervous, few.
Around 11 p.m., Drew Kromer, who chairs Meck Dems, addressed the faithful few with a brief message of disappointment and resolve.
“When we think about the challenging things that have happened and the results we don’t enjoy as much, we all need to also remember the positive things,” he said, a reference to the fact that, on that same evening, North Carolina had elected a Democratic governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and state superintendent of public instruction.
North Carolina again swings red
Just as the polls had predicted, the North Carolina race had been pivotal. After more than 5.6 million votes were cast, former president Donald Trump carried the state with 51.95% to Harris’ 47.56%. The remaining 0.49% was split between write-in candidates and candidates representing small parties.
Trump’s win in North Carolina extended a 16-year Republican streak; no Democratic presidential candidate has won the state since Barack Obama’s victory in 2008.
Rashaad Hamilton, who attended the Mec Dem watch party, called the outcome “disappointing.”
“You know, it looks like Donald Trump did what he needed to do to push up his margins in these rural counties,” Hamilton said. “And man, I didn’t know they had any more votes left in these damn counties.”
Hamilton praised the work of Democrats in Mecklenburg County, where 65% of the votes were cast for Harris.
“I’ve seen people bleed and cry over every vote in this county, Hamilton said. “I don’t think we could have done anything more, and I think we have to be proud of that.”
On the county level, Democrats continued their party’s dominance, winning every seat on the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners that was up for election.
Despite the Harris loss, Issac Dei, 17, said he was content with Democratic wins in other state races.
In the governor’s race, Democrat Josh Stein defeated Republican Mark Robinson 55% to 40%, and in a much tighter race for lieutenant governor, Democrat Rachel Hunt won against Republican Hal Weatherman 49% to 48%.
Democrat Jeff Jackson was elected attorney general with 51% of the vote, and Democrat Maurice “Mo” Green edged out his Republican challenger to become North Carolina’s next superintendent of public instruction. Elaine Marshall, also a Democrat, was elected secretary of state.
Tyler Swain Mitchell, who lives in Columbia, S.C., said he came to Charlotte to direct the Harris campaign’s get-out-the-vote efforts in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
Mitchell said he was pleased with the Democratic turnout in Charlotte, but it “wasn’t enough to carry it through” for Harris in North Carolina,” he added.
“I’m proud of the efforts that we put forward, and we’re hoping that the other swing states will turn blue and possibly make a special comeback in her favor,” he said.
Despite Harris’ loss in North Carolina, Mitchell said he remained optimistic.
“I think it’s the fact that you wake up every morning and understand and say there’s always a new day ahead,” he said.
