Election night watch parties across the state provided opportunities for students to experience the excitement — or pain — of watching different election results roll in.

This election, statewide Democrats were able to pick up the State Auditor position but failed to flip the races for governor, secretary of state and secretary of agriculture. Iowa on the national level, however, had two house seats flip from Republican to Democrat.

“Across the board we were biting our nails,” said Jacob Minock, president of the Iowa State College Republicans. “At the start looking at Florida or Texas those races were closer than we had thought with Desantis, with Cruz, and when we got to Iowa, that momentum stopped. At multiple points we had people thinking that it was the end for Reynolds, while others said they still think she had it. In the middle we had people just wishing results would come in faster.”

With the election of Reynolds, Minock said he is excited about what she can continue for Iowa, whether that be tax policy or healthcare reforms.

Members of the Iowa State College Democrats said they were worried about  races like Republican Steve King’s, but not necessarily the race between Reynolds and Fred Hubbell as many of the early projections had Hubbell winning.

Despite King’s victory, members of College Democrats were still happy with how close the race was.

“I think he has run a campaign like no one else has run, and he has awakened people across the district who have not had a real alternative for Steve King,” said Taylor Blair, president of the College Democrats.

Robert Reinhard, another member of College Democrats, was also excited about Scholten’s performance in the end.

“Even if Scholten loses tonight, I’m still very excited about the future of Iowa District Four, and I am very proud of the race Scholten ran,” Reinhard said. “I don’t think King has ever had a race this close, and Scholten has really energized people.”

Across other state races, Democrats were able to pick up the State treasurer election between Democrat Michael Fitzgerald and Republican Jeremy Davis, and the state auditor election between Democrat Rob Sand and Republican Mary Mosiman.

Republicans like Minock, who were happy to see Republicans win the race for Iowa Secretary of State between Republican Paul Pate and Democrat Deidre DeJear, didn’t know exactly why there was a varying result across those elections.

“Pate had ran similar elections to Davis and Mosiman,” Minock said. “At the end of the day he has always been a vocal guy, and that could contribute to people liking his message and his platform.”

Mosiman, who was an incumbent, wasn’t as vocal, Minock said.

On the national level, Democrats were able to win back the House of Representatives in part due to two Iowa Races, but the so-called “blue wave” was not completely accurate Minock said.

“At the end of the day it wasn’t a blue wave or a red wave, it was just another election,” Minock said. “Many people kept their same positions, nothing to me stuck out to be completely outrageous or out of the blue. There were some nail biters, it flipped back and forth on a lot of these but that is the nature of the beast, that’s politics.”

Blair, who said he never liked the term “blue wave” said the national results would help thr government be more fair.

“I think that we need more balance in our government, ” Blair said. “ I think that the good decisions don’t get made when it’s one party rule, because then it’s not a conversation anymore.”