A video of President Obama rallying a crowd set the tone for an election night party for incumbent Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, seeking her fourth term.

Hundreds of supporters filled the Renaissance Hotel’s Hollywood Ballroom to support not only Boxer’s re-election effort against Republican challenger Carly Fiorina, but as a rallying cry for Democrats, with Jerry Brown projected to win California’s governor seat.

The results were slow coming in. As of 11:52 p.m. Tuesday, more than three hours after polls in California closed, Boxer held a 51 to 44 percentage edge over Fiorina, Hewlett-Packard’s former chief executive, with 53 percent of precincts reporting. '

Brown, a Democrat, held a 52 to 43 percent edge over Republican Meg Whitman with 50 percent of precincts reporting in the California governor race.

The policies that Obama staged his campaign on two years ago resonated with some supporters at the election night party.
Tessa Charmofsky lives in Echo Park and is a “strong” Democrat who supports Obama’s economic stimulus plan, health care stance and strong environmental policies.

She fears the state will cut vital programs and services in an attempt to balance the budget.

Boxer took the podium at 11:21 p.m. and announced herself the winner. She thanked supporters for voting at the end of a grueling campaign.

“I’ve never seen anything like it and I’ve had some tough campaigns,” Boxer said.

Kevin Savage was part of the get-out-the vote campaign in L.A.’s Crenshaw District. He visited 240 homes Sunday and called 100 people Saturday, thanking people for voting in 2008 and encouraging them to vote this year.

“A majority said they would vote,” said Savage, working his first campaign. His daughter works for Boxer’s staff in Washington, D.C.

Boxer said she would focus on small businesses to create jobs and claimed her dedication to the environment, saying, “I want extremely clean air and extremely clean drinking water.” Boxer was the first woman to head the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works.