The Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle held election night parties on four floors. Perhaps over two thousand revelers supporting the reelected president and Referendum-74 for marriage equality attended.

Highline Times asked area politicians and others at the Westin parties to comment on the results, and projected results, of the races:

King County Executive Dow Constantine

""They've just called Colorado for Barack Obama. We're starting to see the numbers really rack up for the president now. What you're seeing here is a cementing of the shift that happened four years ago in American politics. The nation is becoming somewhat more urban. The old right-wing Republican line, people just aren't buying it anymore. The Democratic party has moved to the center and started to really articulate how it can move this country forward in the 21st century. People have gravitated to that message. People are not going to follow the Republicans over that cliff that the Tea Party is trying to take us over unless they rethink their message.

"This country really does fundamentally want to take care of, and help, those who need a hand to get back on their feet and start becoming self-reliant. We're doing a great job with that in King County. This administration has recognized the good job King County has done under Executive Sims and under my administration to help get people not just a hand out but a hand up to be able to be full contributors to society. They're going to help us take that program to a regional and I think national level."

State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, Burien, West Seattle

"It feels great. We knew (President Obama) had done everything right to get to this point. After four years of I think some really important accomplishments it's really exciting to see that validated. Clearly the voters are appreciative of what the president has done in office. It's exciting (for me) to get to play a role in the reelection of a president who has done great things for this country and I am proud to be a part of it."

King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, District 8

"We've had a really good ground game all weekend talking to the voters (about the referendum), and now it is time to listen to the voters," said King County Councilmember Joe McDermott at the Westin early in the evening. He plans to marry his partner, Michael Culpepper.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn

"It's great to see the presidential results, and I'm anxiously awaiting the local results. I'm hitting' refresh. I'm hitting refresh. (On his smart phone) It's just a state by state thing. It looks like Obama's been leading in the battlegrounds, which is great."

Frank Inslee, the younger brother of apparent new governor Jay. Frank teaches art and coaches weight lifting in high school in Bellingham. Both attended Shorewood School in White Center, then attended Ingraham HS

"Jay is so good at listening to both sides and is very open to making global decisions. He's a visionary and looks down the road, not just making temporary decisions to appease the crowd. He's really going to help the nation at large as well as our state."