The mood among the Penn Democrats only improved last night as time passed.
The Penn College Republicans were somewhat more sour.
The Democrats met last night at Huntsman Hall to watch the election returns roll in. The mood the was initially cautious and subdued, but people became more jubilant as reports of wins started to arrive.
"I think we've taken the House, it's just a question of by how much," said Engineering freshman Jay Fiddelman, a deputy political director in the Penn Democrats.
Incumbent Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum's loss and concession speech brought palpable excitement to the room, with one member saying that she couldn't believe it and that she felt close to tears.
If there were tears among the College Republicans gathered in an off-campus residence, they were of a different kind.
"For a lot of us, Rick Santorum was a true American hero," said College junior Sean-Tamba Matthew, the second vice-chairman of Pennsylvania Federation of College Republicans.
Some members alleged irregularities at polling places.
Matthew, who is black, said he was a poll watcher during the day and had a confrontation with a Democratic party member who questioned whether Matthew was allowed at the polling place. He says that the person muttered a racial slur under their breath.
"It's sad to see how bad the Philadelphia [voting] system is," Matthew said.
The Penn Democrats, meanwhile, thought the election process went smoothly.
College senior Stephanie Fennell, who coordinated election workers' poll-watching, said there were a few minor issues but scoffed at allegations of widespread irregularities.
Both groups, however, were proud of their get-out-the-vote campaigns.
Fiddelman said turnout had matched that of the 2002 mid-term election by 1:00 p.m.
Penn Democrats events chairman Clayton Robinson said he thought momentum had been built by rallies the group had held, such as one attended by Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi (D - Calif.).
The College Republicans also cited their get-out-the-vote campaign, which involved knocking on hundreds of doors and making thousands of calls.
"I don't think there was anything more we could do," College Republicans Chairman and Wharton junior Michael Shiely said.
He added that his group was looking forward to the 2007 Philadelphia mayoral election and 2008 presidential election.
But though the outcome in the Senate was still not clear in the early morning, the Penn Democrats were happy to live in the moment.
"Either way the night goes, getting Santorum out of office is something to celebrate," Fennell said.
