Election Night Reaction: Twitter Goes Off

All over the United States, voters turned out Tuesday, November 6th for the 2018 midterm elections.

While the results are still trickling in, it has already become clear that this election was one for the history books in terms of candidate diversity. Additionally, voter turnout rates among young people (defined as 18- to 29-year-olds) were projected to be record-shattering.

Now the polls have closed, many of the results have been projected, and social media is ablaze with early thoughts and reactions coming from either side of the political aisle.

Much of the attention went to rising-star Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke and his loss to incumbent Texas Senator Ted Cruz:

This was my first time voting and BETO lost… pic.twitter.com/d0XWAVBWJm

— Na’Taijah? (@simpsonnataijah) November 7, 2018

OMGGGGGG OMGGGGG!!!!!

YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!! @tedcruz WINS TEXAS!!! If I never have to feel like that again that would be great. Congrats Texas TED!!!!!

— Katie Thulin (@katiet121) November 7, 2018

y’all really voted for the damn zodiac killer over Beto? really Texas? REALLY? pic.twitter.com/5WA4B7FUi9

— catherine ? (@cathgiselle) November 7, 2018

And the Florida gubernatorial race between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democratic challenger Andrew Gillum stirred up some serious online discussion:

I live in #Florida is this is really how I feel right now #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/vV5uR79d4W

— Lil Yadi?? (@y__zeron) November 7, 2018

Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis are gaining a large lead in Florida.

Let’s go Florida! #RedWave

— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) November 7, 2018

me looking at these election results in florida: pic.twitter.com/7jTbzSL8fZ

— corrin (@CorrinPetrucci) November 7, 2018

REPUBLICAN RON DESANTIS WON FLORIDA!

We actually did it! #FLgov #RonDeSantis pic.twitter.com/T1NPERVVtM

— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) November 7, 2018

Several prominent young voters have weighed in, including a few of the survivors of the mass shooting at Parkland High School, in Florida…

Bye @BarbaraComstock :)

— Vote November 6th (@davidhogg111) November 7, 2018

… Welp. pic.twitter.com/ScaadQ9qGL

— Aalayah Eastmond (@AalayahEastmond) November 7, 2018

I’m so fucking disgusted with this state. how the hell can you possibly see desantis as anything but a pathetic, bigoted, unaccomplished, and incompetent excuse for a human being. Unbelievable. North FL always finds a way to embarrass us.

— amit #MSDStrong (@amit_dadon) November 7, 2018

And more than a few celebrities:

Democrats flipped the house w/ historic wins by women + people of color, some slashing decades-long red strongholds. And 1.4 million formerly incarcerated people have regained the right to vote. Despite gerrymandering + suppression. Something powerful has happened. Believe that.

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) November 7, 2018

I FUCKING LOVE THIS MAN https://t.co/kPTEQW53v6

— Grace Helbig (@gracehelbig) November 7, 2018

“Ted Cruz sadly did manage to keep his seat. The only way to get rid of Ted Cruz is to pour salt on him when he crawls onto your driveway.” – @JimmyKimmel #ElectionNight #Midterm2018 #KimmelLIVE

— Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) November 7, 2018

Guess I won’t be eating artichokes. Tragic. But not shocking.

— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) November 7, 2018

And as expected, there are already plenty of election-inspired memes:

Texas’s Beto/Ted Cruz matchup. #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/D4dfEd84hP

— Markis (@_MarkWithAnM) November 7, 2018

Polls are finally closing on #ElectionNight, and the results are… wait a minute… pic.twitter.com/XQeE459e70

— Sean CW Korsgaard (@SCWKorsgaard) November 7, 2018

how is Florida voting for the amendments backed by Gillum but not voting for Gillum make it make sense ?????? pic.twitter.com/e0Jlhm8GdG

— francheckona ?? (@francheezit) November 7, 2018

At the end of the night, countless users celebrated the diversification of American politics:

Not 1, but TWO Muslim American congresswomen officially WIN tonight.

Congratulations to Rashida Tlaib out of Michigan, and Ilhan Omar out of Minnesota. #HerStory #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/IRRflZvcK7

— Khaled Beydoun (@KhaledBeydoun) November 7, 2018

This is also the young BROWN woman wave! Lauren Underwood, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib ?????? #MidtermsElections2018

— Dena Takruri (@Dena) November 7, 2018

First openly gay governor. First Native American congresswoman who is also gay. First openly gay congressman in NH. Latrice Royals can vote again. Kim Davis lost. HUGE night for gay people, tbh.

— Joel Kim Booster (@ihatejoelkim) November 7, 2018

BRO IM LIVING FOR THE DIVERSITY IN THIS ELECTION https://t.co/GtKKGaQ4fV

— mari (@Iasolecita) November 7, 2018