TAMPA, Fla. - When Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes came in Saturday handing Former Vice President Joe Biden the presidency, Democratic voters in Hillsborough County turned out and celebrated.
Holding campaign signs and images of Projected President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, dozens of voters danced and shouted with joy outside of the Hispanic Democratic Headquarters on Columbus Street.
“We were actually eating at Rocco’s Tacos and we saw people start to post information so we tried to figure out where to go to celebrate,” said Starr Brookins, who attended the event.
The impromptu dance party was quickly organized and as the night wore on, the crowd continued to build. At least 100 people gathered in front of the building as drivers honked their horns in support.
“Raising three kids in the last four years hasn’t been easy,” said Brian Hartman, a Biden-Harris supporter. “But l think this is the right choice because it shows them that telling the truth and caring for others is the right thing.”
For Hartman’s wife, Biden’s projected win was personal.
“It’s been a scary four years for us and I think other people,” said Katie Hartman. “We have a daughter and we want her to be raised with equality and all the opportunities that everyone else has.”
As the ballot counting continued across several battleground states, many people began to lose faith even though Biden was ahead. Democratic Strategist Ed Nurain was not one of them.
“I thought it was a matter of time,” Nurain said. “We needed to get Pennsylvania and other states time to count and those numbers have come in and it’s pretty much what we thought it was going to be.”
For the Nurains, this election was also personal. His daughter considers Vice President- Elect Kamala Harris a role model.
“It’s very nice to see a female vice president as well as a black female vice president which is absolutely amazing,” said Zahara Nurain.
Biden’s projected electoral victory did not include Florida even though he carried Hillsborough County by more than 48,000 votes