Before I head out to blog about election parties, I must thank my two co-workers, Carrie Rengers and Denise Neil. They not only talked me into this gig, they took the TWO available iPads and left me with this big old honkin’ laptop with a dead battery. Hard to believe they’re two of my dear friends. Anyway, I’m fired up and can’t wait to see all the happy people at the victory parties. Not as eager to visit the others who will have their smiles slowly turned upside down as the returns come in. Later.
It’s not often that one gets to be a junior Bonnie Bing, but that’s the role Denise Neil and I are playing tonight.
We’re hitting the party circuit with the Bing herself to report on who’s partying where and with whom. There probably will have to be some investigative research on who is serving what, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Bonnie shares some helpful fashion tips along the way.
All that from the comfort of your own computer. Hope you enjoy the ride. Here we go.
You know it’s late in the evening when reporters covering elections are so bored waiting for returns that they start playing online Scrabble and grazing the sad little leftovers from the buffet line that their journalistic mores wouldn’t let them enjoy when the food was fresh.
I’d planned to make it back to Raj’s party, but I’m guessing that’s probably dying down now that he’s won. Then again, those party people looked like they may be in it for the long haul.
I, however, am not.
My good friend and colleague, Jaime Green, said, “You can’t leave now! ‘Eye of the Tiger‘ just started!”
I’d say that’s a good indication it’s time to go.
Also it’s time for a little dinner and a little rest. After all, the general election will be here before you know it.
Former KAKE, Channel 10, reporter Jeanene Kiesling is covering the Tiahrt race on behalf of her current employer, the CBS affiliate in Kansas City. In fact, I noticed her while she was interviewing Tiahrt, carefully tottering on a platform.
I only note this because Jeanene’s heels caught my eye. Four inches? Five?
Five, she reports.
But why?!
“I don’t get to wear these that often because I’m always off … on gravel roads and crime scenes,” Jeanene says.
Does she have any tips on how she does it?
“No, just a lot of practice.”
So shortly after I left the room there was the big announcement that Tiahrt took Johnson County. Yes, I just have that knack as a reporter. Always being where the action is.
I can report this, though: There’s a steady antlike stream of people wandering from the main party area to the bar and back again. Guess they missed the big news, too.
The numbers coming in over the television aren’t good for Robert Tillman, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, District 4.
But the etouffee is. Tillman and a collection of friends and relatives are gathered now at his spacious Beacon Hill home, playing dominoes, snacking on catered etouffee, greens and cobbler and enjoying themselves despite the results.
Juanita Blackmon, a candidate for Sedgwick County commissioner, also is at the party and also isn’t seeing election returns in her favor but she did see a lot of “smiles and positive energy” at the party — a nice consolation, she said.
Tillman, far left, and Blackmon, fourth from left, watch election returns with friends at Tillman’s Beacon Hill home.
As a colleague of mine noted, “Lotta babies here.”
And canned country music. And sugar cookies. And no alcohol.
This perhaps explains why there is more spirited chatter coming from the bar at the front of the Airport Hilton than inside the vast official party space for Todd Tiahrt.
Tiahrt himself is here, though, along with lots of other politicians, like Sue Schlapp, Phil Journey, Dave Unruh and Karl Peterjohn.
Oh, and from the nonpolitical world, Dame Helen Galloway.
If I hadn’t already been to several Republican parties tonight, I’d swear that every Republican in Wichita has come to party with Todd Tiahrt and some other candidates at the Airport Hilton. I’ve had to create my own parking place. Here’s hoping my car is still there when I’m done. Otherwise, my partying days — or hours, as it were — are over.
I’m blogging from the concierge desk in the lobby.
Hello, I’m Carrie. How may I assist you?
Someone just stopped by to ask where entrance A is, because she can’t find her car. Oh, dear. I’m of no help. Better get into the party before I disappoint anyone else.
Moran supporters Jeff and Katelyn Timmermeyer and Jeff’s brother, Brad.
Jerry Moran is watching election returns for his U.S. Senate race from a big party for Republicans in Kansas City.
But his Wichita field director Brian Perkins wanted to thank Moran volunteers and supporters who’ve put in campaign time here.
So he’s throwing a little party at Back Alley Grill, the restaurant attached to The Alley at 13th and Greenwich.
The party, attended by about 40 supporters, may not have the candidate, but it does have a lot of free Back Alley pizza. It also has a lot of tension. At the moment, the race is neck-and-neck.
“We wanted to do this as a way to thank our supporters,” Perkins said. “We figured the least we could do was buy them pizza.”
Whatever happens in her race against Wink Hartman and Mike Pompeo, Jean Schodorf has one attribute that they don’t: She looks great in a skirt.
Now, before anyone gets all riled up that I’m mentioning her attire, just hear me out.
I only noticed Jean’s appearance because the second I saw her, she grabbed a seat on a leopard-print chaise lounge — I’m not making this up — crossed her legs, kicked back a bit and relaxed, fleeting though it was. It was quite a pose.
Her party at the Grand Chapel on Broadway didn’t have much energy, but the food was well-chosen. Cortez, El Mexico Delano and Saigon catered along with Kevin Brown and the Grand Chapel.
It’s not quite enough to cheer Jean at this point. She’s not eating. Instead, she’s studying her second-place returns. She seemed to get a little sad discussing them. I had to fight the urge to give her a hug. In addition to not being quite the journalistic thing to do, I can’t imagine that’s what Jean would have wanted, either.
Now I’m off to see Todd Tiahrt. I doubt I’ll have the urge to hug him, but you never know.