Local Republicans host in-person watch party, Democrats go virtual

A juxtaposition in how the different parties in southern Oregon watched the results come in during the 2020 Presidential Election.

Representative doug la-malfa is challenged byc.

We have reporters on both republican and democratic watch parties.

Newswatch 12's hailey gravitt attended the virtual democratic watch parties.

She'll bring us more on that in just a second.

But first -- newswatch 12's josh shelton attended an in-person republican watch party.

Josh what did you see at that in-person event?

It was a much smaller group than what the jackson county republican party is used to.

In 2016, they told me they had more than 350 people in attendance compared to the 100 tonight.

Capacity capped because of coronavirus restrictions, but they thought it was important to watch in person.

:47 robin lee says, "i wondered with the cap of the covid 19 restrictions of only a hundred people, if it would be subdued, but it's not.

There's a lot of enthusiasm here."

The enthusiasm showing when republican candidates are announced in the lead.

This kind of energy was something the jackson county republican party chairs felt would've been missed.

1:13 kevin keating says, "i think the ability to get together, as an organization, as a community of people to celebrate.

We are distancing we are following the guidelines, and i think it's the right thing for us to do.

We have to get back, we can't keep living in a bubble."

The in person interaction was one reason some of the local republican candidates attended the event.

0:51 dave dotterrer says, "i've already gotten a whole bunch of texts congratulating me, but that's just not the same thing as somebody come up and coming up and shaking your hand or bumping elbows with you or something like that in the age of covid."

1:10 dotterrer says, "everything in my, in my world is about personal relationships and it's really fun to be around people.

And that's just why it's fun to be here."

County republican chair kevin keating added no matter the result, the important thing newswatch 12 monitored several of those watch parties.

As well as spoke with those candidates.

Newswatch 12s hailey gravitt sat in on some virtual watch parties in our region tonight-- hailey how are democrats feeling?

ááá2nd deskááá democrats say this year has been difficult with the pandemic.

Which is why they connected over zoom to be together as a party.

Josephine county democrats said normally they get together in person for watch parties but this year zoom parties are how they're getting together to watch election coverage.

Josephine and klamath counties democratic parties say that with the pandemic they had their share of difficulties when it came to campaigning.

Adjustments had to be made to their normal watch parties but even with the pandemic they knew they needed to be together tonight.

This is something, as a party, both parties and i know the other side is the same way we've worked really really hard to try and effect change and this is kind of the culmination.

So its kind of nice to be able to share it with those who have been really active with in a watch party in klamath county-- democrats discussed how government isn't perfect and it isn't going to solve every problem.

But it should something that americans can rely on the way its executed, changes peoples minds and changes peoples behavior.

You cant legislate morality but you can say black kids have to go to white schools and stuff you know you can change peoples attitudes, and that to me is what government is all about.

Butted to in the term of the trump republican era, the democratic party needs a lot of cleaning up as well.

ááá2nd deskááá many democrats saying they expect to