DePasquale, Democrat watch party brings feelings of optimism in the community

As time passed on election night, the energy at Eugene DePasquale’s watch party ebbed and flowed with the changing of Pennsylvania polls. 

DePasquale, Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania attorney general, gathered Pittsburgh citizens at a watch party on election night at the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers building.

About 30 attendees counted down together as Pennsylvania polls closed at 8 p.m. and continued to watch as the votes were tallied.

The night began with a high optimism that could be felt throughout the room. Hannah Kirschner, a development manager for a STEM coding lab, said she was feeling pretty good about the election at the start of the night.

“I know there was a record turnout in Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh especially. Things are going well, but it’s the early stages, which I know tend to go one way, but it seems like PA is going blue,” said Kirschner. “I would say I’m feeling a bit optimistic about it.”

Kirschner said she came out to this watch party because she knew this was an important event.

“I’m actually wearing a necklace that was bought by my grandmother, and it was my mom’s, who both are no longer with us,” Kirschner said. “So to me, being able to witness a woman potentially becoming the first president of the United States, it’s a really important event. It just felt like too big of a moment to be alone.”

Heather Mallak, a chair member for the 9th ward of Pittsburgh, said she was also feeling positive about the election — and DePasquale in particular — when the polls closed.

“We’re feeling good and strong. Eugene has spent a lot of time in Pittsburgh, at big and small events, and I’ve seen him at a lot of events sitting next to Planned Parenthood storytellers,” said Mallak. “I find him so charming. Like, he’ll mention that he played two university sports and then gets into additional information about his family that makes him so relatable and so interesting and interested in the experience of Pennsylvanians.”

Lynda Wrenn, an admin worker at Carnegie Mellon University, said she was feeling much more optimistic than she expected after Pennsylvania’s polls closed.

“I feel a certain energy, and I see a lot of people who have never really been involved in politics volunteering or putting up yard signs,” Wrenn said. “I feel this energy and this momentum, I hope will carry us through.”

Wrenn said she felt this optimism for all Pennsylvania Democratic candidates on the ticket this election season.

“I definitely think that DePasquale’s campaign is riding the same wave as the Harris campaign, but I also think that in his platform he has spoken out so strongly for protecting women’s reproductive rights. I think that resonates with so many people,” Wrenn said. “A lot of people have noticed his campaign and paid more attention to it than they might typically pay in a statewide race.”

As the night went on and votes continued to trickle in, the morale of the room took a small dip as DePasquale fell behind his opponent Dave Sunday. Kirschner said her optimism was “definitely a little lower,” by 11 p.m. on election night.

“I am having a feeling that we’re not gonna get solid results tonight and probably won’t get solid results too early,” Kirschner said. “So even if we start to get some calling in the morning, I would not be surprised if it’s a couple days before we actually have a solid, solid answer.”

Mike Galovich, who works for Allegheny County, said he is still confident and is keeping his focus on the numbers.

“I feel very confident still. I think that if the vice president wins, it’ll probably be with a 1% difference. Now we gotta figure what we’re gonna do down the ballot ticket,” Galovich said.

“And then Eugene’s case coming from Allegheny, being originally from Allegheny County, being the state rep in York, and I know he’s gonna do well in Philadelphia. So, I’m very confident. But it’s gonna be tight.”

To end the night at 11:15 p.m., DePasquale told the room to go home and get rest, saying he knew the decision would not be decided on election night.

“It is gonna be close,” DePasquale said. “So I know that it has been a long day or days for people. So just wanna give you a heads up. I don’t think Pennsylvania is getting called tonight at any of these races.”

Kirschner gave a final thought on her feelings of the day.

“Yeah, my optimism is a little bit lower, but I still I think that this is a part of the process and we’re used to it at this point. The same thing happened with the last election,” Kirschner said. “It goes up, it goes down, and it’s a roller coaster. We ride it out and we’re all keeping strong.”