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The TVs were synched up and the audio coming in through the main speakers at District Brewing in Ferndale, putting the presidential debate front and center Tuesday night.
More than three dozen people, about a third boasting MAGA swag, showed up to the Young Republicans watch-party event organized by Joseph Wargo.
While most people in attendance were over 40 years old, Wargo said he was pleased with the turnout in a state hostile to MAGA supporters.
Linda Sanchez was among those in attendance who were excited to be among like-minded voters to watch the fiery debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
For Sanchez, Trump was charismatic in the debate and made strong arguments with his continued focus on border issues, as well as how he will improve the economy if elected to a second term as president.
She said that Harris’ method for attempting to connect with the electorate was emotion-based, rather than policy driven.
The more incendiary claims made by Harris, as well as counterpoints shot by Trump, were met by scattered groans or applause, respectively, from the crowd.
Trump’s description of Harris’ economic plan as simplistic, saying it’s as short as “Run, Spot, run,” garnered laughs from the crowd. His jest of sending a MAGA hat to Harris was also met with applause.
“When he stole her line, that was a kill shot, right there,” Wargo said of a moment early in the debate when Trump called back one of the Vice President’s well-known quotes: “I’m talking right now.”
Wargo said that while he felt the moderators weren’t fact-checking claims made by Harris as thoroughly as they were those made by Trump, he wasn’t surprised.
Nonetheless, he said Harris failed to define herself outside of the traditional Democratic establishment.
“Kamala is doing better than I expected, but I think a lot of it feels stock,” Wargo said. “I don’t think voters really hear what she’s saying as policy so much as it is saying, ‘Donald Trump is responsible for things when he wasn’t in power.’”
The debate appeared to be less about policies and more about personalities, Wargo said, noting that he wished that candidates had provided a more clear 30,000-foot view of their vision for the future of America.
“We need to kind of come back together and be able to speak about these issues and speak about them honestly and candidly,” Wargo said, noting that he doesn’t see that happening until the general election is over. “It doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen until we have the next president, and we can kind of come to a reconciliation.”
Isaac Stone Simonelli is CDN’s enterprise/investigations reporter; reach him at isaacsimonelli@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 127.
