Anxiety and optimism in Mankato as Democrats gather in Walz territory

MANKATO – As television screens beamed projections of Tuesday’s national election results, Jane Cummiskey tried to tune the numbers out.

Cummiskey, 75, a longtime Democrat, said she’d rather learn the results all at once, rather than a slow drip as vote counts come in. It’s better for her mental health, she said.

Cummiskey was one of about 150 attendees at the DFL election night party, where a collection of local politicos, activists and campaign staff waited to see whether Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, would win the presidency.

The election is personal for many at the party, as Walz taught in Mankato as a high school teacher and served as congressman here.

John Considine wore a red football jersey, the same one he wore as a right tackle on the 1999 Class 4A championship team that had Walz as an assistant defensive coach.

He said that morning anxiety has given way to evening optimism. “You have to be, otherwise you’ll go stir-crazy,” said Considine, 42.

Red, white and blue bunting hung from doorways, and campaign signs were placed across round tables as attendees hugged each other and talked about last-minute door-knocking.

Luke Frederick, who is running for re-election in District 18B in south-central Minnesota, said the early returns scared him. Frederick, whose district includes Mankato and parts of Blue Earth County, said he was confident that Democrats would maintain control in Minnesota, but he was worried about early national results.

“As stressful as it is watching these, we’re here with each other,” he said in a speech. “It might be hard times ahead, but we’re together, and that’s what counts.”

Jim Dimock, a volunteer at the progressive Indivisible Project, said he has knocked on more than 1,000 doors since June and is confident that Democrats have had a stronger get-out-the-vote campaign.

Kathy Black, 68, held up a bottle of wine, which she said was part of her mental health strategy for the night, along with avoiding fights on Facebook and scheduling an appointment with her psychiatrist on Thursday.

She said this is the first DFL election night party she has ever attended but that she came because it’s better for her mental health to be around people, rather than sitting at home, watching results alone.

“I’m so afraid of what [Donald] Trump will do,” Black said, adding that she’s been stocking up on groceries and pet food, just in case riots break out after votes are counted.

As the night went on, more attendees could be seen checking their phones, with many leaving. The DFL election night party in 2016 had had more cheers than the one Tuesday, said Ronald Affolter, 73. He said he had been deflated when Iowa was declared for Trump, saying he had hoped more Republicans would cross over for Harris.

Throughout the night, Barbara Keating, 76, could be seen looking at her phone, refreshing the election results and saying “How can that be!” Keating said she grew more and more worried throughout the night, not only for the national election but also for statewide races.

“It still hasn’t been decided, but it doesn’t look good,” she said. “It’s more fun when your candidates win.”