Nicholas Wildeman, a USI alum and Vanderburgh County Council at-large candidate, kissed his three-month-old son Matthew and pensively watched a projector screen displaying election results.

“My time in the (Master’s of Public Administration) program helped solidify my love for public service,” Wildeman said at the Republican Watch Party election night. He graduated from USI for both his undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Wildeman, who ultimately didn’t win the ticket, said campaigning was a ‘learning experience.’

“Like any good researcher, I’ll revise and resubmit,” he said. “For now, I’ll go home and kiss the wife and kids.”

Wildeman said it was a huge night for Republicans, claiming the majority of local races and at the time he left the watch party, presidential candidate Donald Trump was in the lead.

Don Counts, a veteran, came to the Republican Watch Party proudly wearing his US Marine jacket and veteran hat covered in local candidate buttons as well as Trump buttons.

“I want to see Trump win because he shows more concern for veteran affairs and for the VA hospital than Clinton,” Counts said.

He said he does not trust Clinton.

“She has told so many lies, between Benghazi and the combat zone, and claiming they had to run for their lives,” Counts said. “It simply was not true.”

He said it comes down to him trusting Trump more.

“Clinton has shown she is not capable of being able to handle classified information,” Counts said. Everyone knows e-mail is not secure. She was asking for trouble.”

Through the watch party, Trump remained in the lead with Clinton following closely behind.

Confirmed state representative and incumbent Holli Sullivan said the entire party saw huge success this election cycle, and she foresees big changes with more Republican representation.

“It’s really exciting to see first time voters this year,” she said. “Especially with how intense the primary was, hopefully we’ve pulled a lot more of the population out to vote.”

During her brief acceptance speech at the watch party, Sullivan said there will be more work on I-69, despite the setbacks the development has seen recently.

“We’re the crossroads of America,” she said. “We’re the logistics hub, so there’s wear and tear on our roads. I’ll be helping figure out how we’re going to fund the roads we have.”

Another incumbent winner, representative Larry Bucshon, said the Republican Party had a “pretty good night.”

“I work in a bipartisan way in Washington with friends that are Democrats,” he said. “I think the American people want to see Republicans and Democrats working together.”

With three children of voting age, Bucshon said young voters are critical.

“I wish they’d vote more,” he said. “It’s very important for young voters to be engaged in the process. I’ve voted in every election since I turned 18 because I see how important it is.”

Emily Walden, 20, said she’s been raised in a political household. She is the daughter of Angela Koehler Lindsey, one of the three County Council candidates elected this cycle.

“It’s different growing up so close to politics as a kid,” Walden said. “I can definitely say having a mother involved in politics caused me to care about the presidential election specifically more than I probably would have otherwise.”

She said she most likely would not have been at the watch party, or even voted in the presidential election if her mother was not so active in politics.

After hearing her mother announced as one of the elected members of the County Council, Walden said she knows her mother will be very happy.

“I know pre-election season is very stressful for my mom,” Walden said.  “Now we can all go home and sleep.”

Lindsey, on top of newly being elected into County Council, is also a teacher and Mary Kay consultant.

“Tomorrow will be just a normal day for me at Cedar Hall Elementary where I teach music,” Lindsey said. “I was hoping we would win. I am just so relieved, grateful, and hopeful for the future.”

She said that as a teacher she understands the importance of affordable education and the importance of receiving higher education.

“I am not in charge of deciding costs of college,” Lindsey said. “But one thing I can do for University of Southern Indiana students is fund infrastructure.”

She said her experience in politics demonstrates the importance of just a few votes.

“I once won by two votes,” Lindsey said. “So to young voters, all I can say is that your vote does count. Do not believe anything less.”