By RORY MOORE
Tiger Media Network
The Ellis County Democratic and Republican Parties gathered with supporters to watch the 2024 Presidential Election on Tuesday night. Democrats hosted a watch party at On The Rocks, while Republicans watched at the Fox Theater.
For both parties, the election between Democratic candidate and sitting Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump represents a critical moment for the country’s direction.
Travis Couture-Lovelady represented Kansas as a delegate at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this summer.
“The future of the country is certainly at stake,” he said. “It’s a pivotal election with our open border policies and the way the economy is going. It’s going to set the path for a while.”
For Amy Bergman, a member and volunteer of the Ellis County Democratic Party, humanity and democracy were at stake in the election.
“The country is so divided right now between both parties,” she said. “It goes deeper than that. It goes back to morals, basic humanity, and human rights. When you are voting for a candidate, you’re not voting for the perfect candidate, regardless of the race. Whether it’s a local race, statewide race, or a federal race, you are voting for what you believe at your core is important to you. You can’t not vote, and you can’t just not take it lightly.”
The Ellis County Democratic Party hosts an Election Night Watch party inside On The Rocks. 
Amy Bergman and Amber Nickell watch the results televised on TV. 
Adam Peters, chairman of the Ellis County Republican Party, closely watches the coverage of the Presidential Race. 
The Ellis County Republican Party hosts their Election Night Watch party inside the Fox Theater. 
The Republicans prioritized the economy, immigration, and government spending as their most important issues facing the election. 
Parker Harmon watches the results out of key battleground states. 
Democratic watch party goers huddle up at a bar to watch MSNBC unveil election data.
For Republicans like Adam Peters, chairman of the Ellis County GOP, the election determines what kind of country the United States will be.
“Are we going to have a country in which we can pursue energy independence where we can have a stable Supreme Court that isn’t going to get packed?” he said. “Those are all the things that I think are at stake in this election.”
He noted how national-level issues like inflation have affected Ellis County.
“This administration has spent a huge amount of money on things that it had no business doing,” Peters said. “When you spend money you don’t have and print cash to fill the gap, you’re debasing your currency and all of us are paying the price for that. We’re all paying the price at the pump because of bad energy policies.”
Throughout the night, Harris trailed Trump nationally and in key battleground states. Nevertheless, the party remained optimistic.
“I think we’re still remaining hopeful,” said Anna Towns, Forsyth Library engagement specialist and Democratic supporter. “I knew it was going to be a tight race. So, I think we just came out tonight to hang out with people who have similar opinions and views and be around some friends while we watch the race happen.”
As ballots were counted into Wednesday morning, Trump became the first president since Grover Cleveland to be elected nonconsecutively after claiming victory in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. Trump earned 277 Electoral College votes to Harris’ 244.
“I think a lot of people are tired of what’s happened over the last four years,” Peters said. “They want something better, and I think he’s (Trump) going to deliver. I don’t know that it’s retribution. I think it’s just making right what was wrong.”