Amy Klobuchar smiles to watch party attendees in her acceptance speech. (Evan Neubauer/The Crest) 
The crowd reacts to the presidential election results at the Republican watch party Tuesday in Bloomington. (Sabrina Thompson/The Crest) 
The crowd reacts to a speech at the DFL election watch party Tuesday in St. Paul. (Evan Neubauer/The Crest) 
The St. Thomas College Democrats and Republicans Clubs gather for side-by side election parties, with Bridge St. Thomas dividing the two groups. Bridge St. Thomas is an organization that promotes conversation across political lines. (Cecilia Wallace/The Crest) 
Campaign posters cover the tables at the St. Thomas College Republicans Club’s election watch party on Tuesday at the Anderson Student Center. (Cecilia Wallace/The Crest) 
Minnesota Republican candidate for District 2 Joe Teraib talks with reporters Tuesday at the GOP watch party in Bloomington, Minnesota. (Sabrina Thompson/The Crest)
Amid a national election coined as one of the most consequential in history, Minnesota GOP and DFL watch parties observed in anticipation as votes rolled in for the presidential, house and senate races.
Senate race
At the Intercontinental Hotel in St. Paul, Democrats celebrated incumbent Democrat Amy Klobuchar’s win for U.S. Senate.
“Minnesota, you know that I will always have the people of our state as our North Star, no matter through good times and bad … I am honored to continue to serve as your United States Senator,” Klobuchar said in her acceptance speech.
Though Republican candidate Royce White did not win, Minnesota GOP Chair David Hann noted the Republican Party’s winning of the majority of the U.S. Senate.
“It’s great for the country, we’re obviously pleased with the fact that the U.S. Senate and maybe the U.S. house is gonna be back in Republican control,” Hann said.
U.S. House
Minnesota Democrats also picked up wins in the U.S. House across the state, including incumbent Ilhan Omar over republican Dalia Al-Aqidi in District 5, Betty McCollum over republican May Lor Xiong in District 4 and Angie Craig over republican Joe Teirab in District 2.
“It feels sweet that all of us get to work together to guarantee a brighter future for ourselves and our children,” Omar said in her acceptance speech.
Tuesday’s results kept the House’s 4-4 tie in Minnesota intact. Prior to results arriving, Hann had been optimistic that Teirab could have broken the tie with a District 2 victory.
“It’s been a state that, for some time, has been really really close. We expect that’s going to continue for a while. My sense is that a lot of voters are unhappy with the way that Democrats have governed the state and want to see a change,” Hann said.
Minnesota State Senate
Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy noted that the DFL maintained its one-seat majority in the U.S. State Senate.
“I am so proud of what we’ve done, and I’m thrilled, thrilled to hold our governing majority and am excited about the work ahead,” Murphy said.
Corey Day, the former executive director of the DFL, remained hopeful about the outcome of the presidential election.
“We’re still trying to see where things are going to land,” Day said, “We’re cautiously optimistic.”
Minnesota House race
As of 2:44 a.m. on Nov. 6, the GOP has won 48 State House representatives and the DFL has won 48, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State. Parties need 68 seats to win a majority in that race.
“The idea of taking the house back into Republican control brings balance in the government,” Minnesota House Minority Leader Lisa Damuth said. “Balanced government brings all voices to the table, and that’s what we want to do.”
St. Thomas reaction
As for St. Thomas, the College Republicans and College Democrats clubs held watch parties for the presidential election side by side in the lower level of the Anderson Student Center.
While the groups did not plan to host gatherings next door to one another, College Democrats Vice President Madelyn Orr said they have a respectful relationship.
“We have a good relationship as executive members in each club. Like, that’s a professional relationship,” Orr said. “I would say we’re like friends outside of it as well. Like, I have classes with them, it’s chill, they’re cool guys.”
Although the leadership across clubs is amicable, they both have different issues at the forefront of their minds. College Republican Club President William Murphy said he was concerned about immigration and the economy.
“I’m personally concerned with the economy, but also with the border because there are so many illegal immigrants crossing our border, living in our country illegally and just with the rise of drugs and crime,” he said. “Without borders, you won’t have a country.”
College Republicans Club Vice President Sebastian Stoss echoed Murphy’s sentiments.
“On the whole, immigration is our biggest issue,” Stoss said. “It’s the biggest issue that Donald Trump has focused on from the very beginning. In addition to that, economic issues because a lot of us have student loans and things like that.”
Meanwhile, the College Democrats were more focused on abortion rights and education.
“Personally, the biggest issue on my mind is bodily autonomy,” Orr said. “I want my reproductive rights, my health care rights, to be protected because I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future … Also, protecting education. (Republicans) have talked about getting rid of the Department of Education and public education as a whole, and I think that’s really, really important to all Americans.”
Anya Capistrant-Kinney can be reached at capi2087@stthomas.edu.
Miles Schiffer can be reached at schi9629@stthomas.edu
Cecilia Wallace can be reached at wall1238@stthomas.edu.
Kevin Lynch and Livy Dunlap reported from St. Paul, Minn.
Anna Brennan and Adam Mueller reported from Bloomington, Minn.