Culture ETX in Downtown Tyler served as a gathering hub for the Smith County Democrats' watch party on the night of the General Election. (Jennifer Scott/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

As polls closed Tuesday night, supporters from both the Smith County Republican and Democrat parties were filled with optimism, confident their candidates would emerge victorious. In downtown Tyler, crowds eagerly gathered in anticipation, hoping their efforts on the campaign trail would pay off in the final results.

At the Republican watch party held at Rick’s on the Square, optimism ran high as attendees exchanged confident predictions, bolstered by what they see as a surge in voter enthusiasm in key districts.

“I’m guardedly optimistic about tonight,” David Stein, Smith County Republican chairman, said Tuesday shortly after polls closed. “I like all of the signs that I’ve seen on early voting. It shows a good trend for Republicans, and there’s plenty of night left to go.”

Smith County is typically a stronghold for Republican voters, with a history of red-heavy election results that reflect the area’s conservative-leaning demographic.

“This is the big leagues and we’re going to win our local races,” Stein said. ““Our congressman (Nathaniel Moran) is running unopposed. As for our state representative (candidate Daniel Alders), we have an 80% Republican majority in this county, so he is likely to win his race. Most of the candidates on the ballot are unopposed, though a few do have challengers. In those cases, we expect they will also secure victories.”

Meanwhile, over at Heritage East at Culture ETX, energy was relaxed at the Democratic watch party with volunteers and supporters mingling, discussing the ground game they believed would lead to a strong showing Tuesday.

“It’s a long-awaited night,” Hector Garza, Smith County Democratic chairman, said as he and fellow local Democrats waited for results. “We are crossing our fingers and hoping for the best results.”

Despite the county’s Republican dominance, Democrats in Smith County have steadily increased their presence, working to expand their base and engage more voters in recent elections, party members said.

“Regardless of winning or losing, I think we’ve gained a lot of momentum over the last few years,” said Cody Grace, Democratic party candidate for Texas House District 6.

Alders earned victory over Grace on Tuesday night, with 72.4% of the vote in the district, according to the Texas Tribune.

The results were still being tallied throughout the state and nation, and with presidential elections, it’s common for results to take days or even weeks to be fully finalized, especially as absentee ballots and mail-in votes are counted, which can influence the final outcome.

Over 62% of registered voters in Smith County turned out in the general election, according to unofficial results released by the county Tuesday night.

When asked about next steps if the results don’t go their way, Stein expressed strong opposition toward Democrat presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I hope she has a happy life,” Stein said. “I hope she has a relationship with God and finds peace, and I really mean that sincerely, but as a political candidate, she is awful. Her policies are not mainstream in this country. I may be a little more conservative than the average person, but … she thinks everybody should be thinking like her, and that’s dangerous for this country.”

In response to a similar question, Garza emphasized the importance of focusing on the needs of the people, regardless of the election outcome.

“I just keep in thought and prayer that regardless of who the winner is, whoever takes office now, whether it be all the way from federal to state to our local ballots, I just hope everyone focuses on the people,” Garza said. “We need to do more for the people, for the American worker. It’s time for the people to reap some of the benefits and it’s time for them to enjoy America again.”