I never thought I would say that I had a good time with Republicans at a political event, but I did.

Tuesday, Nov. 5 was Election Day for local governments across the state and I had the amazing opportunity to cover the elections in Seymour, Ct. for Valley Independent Sentinel, an online news publication.

GOP, The Grand Old Party, was stationed at Hot Tamale Restaurant off Route 67 in Seymour. Upon receiving this location I immediately thought it strange. I was unsure as to why they were not headquartering at an official location but it did explain why there was trouble finding the address of their location earlier in the day.

First to arrive at the restaurant, I sat down and waited, hoping that someone would show soon so I could start collecting reactions to results. First Selectman Kurt Miller was the first GOP member to arrive followed by Selectman Len Greene, Jr.—perfect. Both of these men were incumbents and both were two faces I was told to interview.

We sat down in the bar and I was able to get some reaction out of them; Greene even offered to let me sit with them as they received numbers to tabulate.

A little while later we moved into the restaurant and chose a table where papers could be spread out. The four-person table seated myself along with Miller, Greene and Selectman Nicole Klarides-Ditria. All other GOP members along with family and friends stood around hushed waiting to hear the results as they came in from various polling places.

The mood was excited with a hint of nervousness as candidates up for election and reelection wanted to hear those two words, “You won!” Candidates were eating and drinking throughout the night and even cracking jokes.

I was surprised, mostly, that these politicians were so easy-going, so willing to talk to me and let me see everything they were doing.

There was always the notion in my mind that people don’t trust the media, but I guess when you’re reporting for an independent online publication in a small town, people tend to not worry so much. If I was reporting for the Wall Street Journal this might have been a different story.

Last night taught me that although politicians are promoting their platforms, running smear campaigns against their opponents, at the end of the day, they are still people like us; they have families to provide for and friends they trust. Winning politicians don’t thank their husbands and wives for effect.

I’ve always had this negative connotation in my mind when it comes to the GOP. They tend to show resistance toward social issues I support, and from many of the previous Presidential campaign politicians who were Republican, I am a little scarred.

I think Greene said it best, “We all have a similar vision; our goals may be different, but we all want the same thing, and that’s to improve our city.”

It’s true; both parties have different objectives they plan to reach, but the commonality between the two is that they want progress, change and success for the nation’s future.

At the end of the day they want to go home, hang out with their families and eat food, much like you and me.