A tale of two election night parties: Trumps MAGA event near Mar-a-Lago reaches a crescendo while Harris supporters cling to hope
Two very different watch parties have been going on in Florida and Washington DC, with Donald Trump supporters celebrating and Kamala Harris backers desperately trying to cling on to hope.
Two very different watch parties have been going on in Florida and Washington DC, with Donald Trump supporters celebrating and Kamala Harris backers desperately trying to cling on to hope.
There were scenes of jubilation at the Make America Great Again event near Mar-a-Lago, where hopes have been rising that the former president could sweep all seven of the battleground states.
As positive projections for the GOP candidate rolled in, his supporters broke into dance, cutting shapes to the former presidents favourite song YMCA.
Meanwhile, Harris has been watching the results coming in alongside former classmates and staff members at her alma mater, Howard University in DC.
Optimistic supporters of the Vice President gathered outside the school as the watch party got underway, but as the evening went on and her path to victory narrowed, it became dramatically more subdued.
Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump react at the site of the Election Night rally for Trump, at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach
A supporter of Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump reacts while watching early results at the site of the Election Night rally for Trump
Supporters react while watching returns come in during an election night watch party for Republican presidential nominee
Ecstatic Trump supporters clap and cheer while watching returns come in during the watch party in West Palm Beach
Shocked Kamala Harris supporters watched on as the unfavorable results poured in
Some Harris supporters were even seen burying their heads in their hands as the optimism waned
A Harris-Walz supporter grimaces at the projections while attending the watch party in DC
Dancing stopped and attendees fixed their eyes on the large CNN screen mounted outside for the event, some covering their mouths in shock and even burying their heads in the hands.
The watch party fell silent as the VP appeared to fall behind across the key battleground states.
The Harris campaign then reportedly shut off the sound on the TVs, replacing it with music after a guest on CNN said tonight felt more like 2016 than 2020.
Dejected supporters began leaving before midnight, according to reports, with the crowd thinning out.
Sullen faced supporters who remained gazed up at the big screen as they took in the unfavourable projections for their candidate.
Its still early, Sonya Lockett, a former classmate of Harris at college, told the New York Times. Its not feeling that great, but Im optimistic.
Were still hoping for Pennsylvania, said Makeda Haughton. This is disappointing of course. Not what I wanted to hear, but Im not calling it until its fully called.
Cautious optimism turned to concern, with many attending the watch party heading home to monitor the race on TV.
I feel... kind of anxious, said first year student Amar Zarif.
Meanwhile there were massive cheers at watch parties across the country as projections that the Republicans would gain control of the Senate were announced.
Supporters of Former US president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wait for results of US 2024 presidential elections during the Election Night watch party in the West Palm Beach Convention Center
Trump supporters wave MAGA flags near his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida
There has been a party atmosphere at the convention center at downtown West Palm Beach.
The Red hat-wearing faithful cheered and drank late into the night, with many hopeful that their candidate would turn up to celebrate with them.
The expectation is that Trump will address the country at the convention center, which is just a ten-minute drive from where he is watching the polls come in.
There were murmurings on the ground that Trump would speak to his supporters and the country from the venue at around midnight, though Trump earlier suggested he might wait until the presidential contest is called.
