The Gateway Center Garden Room was filled Tuesday night with Republicans, who applauded every time favorable numbers came up on the television screen.

The Democrats took the House in this year’s midterm elections, said Donald McDowell, ISU College Republicans president and junior in political science. However, McDowell was confident it would not be for long.

“I think that people will realize they have a very negative agenda, and in two years Republicans will be knocking on the door of the U.S. House,” he said.

McDowell attributed the loss to historical trends, that it is very hard for parties of a president in his second term to gain seats in the midterm elections.

“It’s a tough environment,” he said.

Jordan Navara, junior in political science and vice president of the ISU College Republicans, agreed with McDowell’s assessment.

“The political climate was in for a change,” he said.

The war in Iraq was a possible reason why the Democrats took the House, said Luke Martz, sophomore in political science and member of the ISU College Republicans, although he wasn’t sure.

“I don’t want to make assumptions why people voted for Democrats, but I hope they like high taxes,” he said.

There was some dissapointment at the Gateway center about Nussle losing the gubernatorial race.

“[Nussle’s] a great guy and he stands for what I bleieve and I think Iowa believes in,” said Samantha Clark, freshman in political science and member of the ISU College Republicans.

There was some good news for the Republicans when Latham was sent back to Congress.

“The 4th District sent back one of Iowa’s most popular congressman,” McDowell said.

The Story County Republican Headquarters was swarmed with ISU College Republicans and other volunteers earlier in the night making phone calls to get people out to vote.

The ISU College Republicans focused their efforts at the headquarters because younger people don’t vote in as great of numbers, McDowell said.

“The [ISU] College Republicans are here to turnout the older, more reliable voters,” he said.