Sean McCann thanked supporters at a Kalamazoo election night watch party on Tuesday night as the Bill Huizenga race remained uncertain. He told the crowd, “I’m honored to be your candidate,” while results were still coming in and supporters kept waiting for more votes.
McCann said he was both nervous and encouraged as the count went on. “I think we’ll have a long night,” he told the crowd, adding, “We’re not sure how the results are going to go, but I’m honored to be here tonight. I’m honored to be your candidate.”
Kalamazoo County Democratic Party
The Kalamazoo County Democratic Party brought together candidates, elected officials and supporters for the watch party in Kalamazoo. Julie Rogers and Matt Longjohn spoke earlier in the evening, and Jen Strebs told supporters she hoped they would be celebrating McCann’s election to Congress.
McCann used the gathering to thank the community, the party and the people who backed his campaign. He said, “It’s been the privilege of a lifetime to be able to represent us and have a role in moving our community forward,” and he pointed to 22 years of serving the greater Kalamazoo area in some capacity.
Western Michigan University
He said attending Western Michigan University first brought him to the community, and he linked that experience to the rest of his public service. McCann said his approach has centered on helping people rather than dividing them, calling public service “about problem solving and doing what I can to help regular, everyday people get ahead in life.”
He also named Carl Levin and Howard Wolpe as influences on his career in public service. McCann said his campaign had focused on ending wars and suffering, improving prosperity and promoting the health and well-being of the community.
Michigan and Washington
McCann told supporters to celebrate the effort even before the result was settled. He said, “We should take the time right now to celebrate, to honor the effort of everyone here and those who aren’t, who have worked so hard to flip Michigan’s fourth.”
The race carries implications beyond the watch party, with consequences for the district and for Democratic leadership in Michigan and Washington. Supporters kept mingling as the night went on, waiting for more results and for the count to settle what McCann had only been able to frame as a long night.
