Democrats in Spokane anxiously wait for results as Trump takes clear lead

Nov. 5—A crowd of people circled around a TV, several people shaking their heads.

It showed Donald Trump was leading Kamala Harris in the popular vote.

"I'm stunned that the numbers for Trump are as hideous as they are so far," said Dr. Pam Kohlmeier, a Democrat candidate who lost a race for state House in Tuesday's election.

While candidates seemed more hopeful for the future of Eastern Washington, even through a few losses, they used phrases like "nauseatingly optimistic," "fascism" and "disappointed" while watching the presidential race during the Democratic Election Party at Riverside Place in downtown Spokane.

Kohlmeier, who had been watching the TV during the event, said everyone's in "shock."

"I really thought that Kamala was going to pull away with a decisive win," Kohlmeier said. "Trump, for whatever reason, has a lot of people fooled, but he doesn't have people's best interests in mind — and I think it's really sad that so many people have thrown support his way."

Kohlmeier lost her state House race in southeastern Washington to incumbent Republican Joe Schmick by 25 percentage points.

Reflecting on her candidacy, Kohlmeier said, as a doctor and an attorney, "she did this for all the right reasons," and she hopes to still help behind the scenes.

Democrat Carmela Conroy, who lost her bid for Congress to opponent Republican Michael Baumgartner by 12%, said she hopes that Baumgartner will honor his promise to look after Eastern Washington farmers.

"I think all of us will want to be sure that this new and improved Michael Baumgartner keeps the promises that he made on the campaign trail," Conroy said.

When it came to the presidential race, Conroy didn't give a comment.

Democrat Natasha Hill, who easily won her state House race representing central Spokane, said her victory was a historic moment for her as a woman of color.

When it came to the presidential election, she said we are watching in real-time "somebody who's pulling from a playbook of a fascist, authoritarian dictator."

"To have to re-elect somebody who has led with even more blatant racist rhetoric after he's been found responsible for sexual assault and rape — I just don't know where you could go from there," Hill said.

Democrat Marcus Riccelli, who won a state Senate seat Tuesday, was keeping tabs on the presidential race. ,

"This is probably the most consequential election in our life," Riccelli said. "The direction the country picks is really important in Washington State."

Caroline Saint James and Olive Pete contributed to this story.