Filed at 10:06 p.m.
Linda Daves, the N.C. Republican Party Chairman, just took the stage to speak to the crowd here. The results from the more conservative counties in North Carolina have yet to come in, she said. “It is still a very early evening,” she said. “Hang in there, let’s keep our eyes on this.”
Filed at 9:55 p.m.
Attendees at the Dem’s party no longer seem nervous about a potential McCain Victory.
Everyone these reporters have talked to seem to be under the impression that Obama has got this one in the bag.
“I’ll be crying enough to fill up any reservoir if John McCain wins,” said Elethea Watson, retiree and campaign volunteer with the Obama campaign, with a wink and a smile, assured that that is not going to be the outcome of tonight. “I’m not even 70 yet and I have had my senior moments…. You do not want a man in John McCain’s position to be having senior moments.”
The partying continues as the Dems have begun blasting “Celebrate” in between commercials on the major news networks.
Filed at 9:50 p.m.
Neal Anderson (right) - Zachary Tracer/The Chronicle
With Ohio and Pennsylvania both blue, Sen. John McCain’s chance for a win seem to be growing slimmer. Yet at the GOP Victory Party, “It’s not over” is on everybody’s lips. Some crowd around computers, checking county by county vote totals, holding out for a come-back win for McCain in Ohio or Sen. Elizabeth Dole in North Carolina. Others sit and watch WRAL or FOX News, fingers crossed as the anchors continue calling states.
Neal Anderson of Raleigh is among the watchers. Wearing a McCain cap, he too maintains that the race is not over. And yet, he speaks as if it is.
“It’s ironic how the person who invented campaign finance reform got outfinanced,” he said. “It was the biggest sales pitch I’ve seen in my life.”
Filed at 9:23 p.m.
Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Mike Munger has 2.81 percent of North Carolina’s vote, according to unofficial results that include 17 of 100 counties completely reported and 53 counties partially reported.
If Munger, who serves as chair of Duke’s political science department, wins at least 2 percent of the vote, the Libertarian party can remain on the state’s ballot until 2012.
The unofficial results show Democratic Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue slightly ahead of Republican Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory by about 3 percentage points.
Filed 9:25 p.m.
As CNN is showing 174 electoral votes for Obama, 54 for McCain the mood at the party has become even more raucous and joyous.
When New York was shown to go to Obama, along with Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, one woman screeched, wine in hand, “Who needs Wyoming, we got New York, honey!”
Teamsters for Obama are out in full force, rejoicing over a possible Obama victory.
“He’s kicking butt,” said Don Ellis. “We want to see some big numbers tonight.”