BUCKS COUNTY, PA — At 9 p.m., the wine was flowing and the spirits were high for the hundreds of Democrats who had gathered for a watch party at a farmhouse inn. Cable news maps were projected on the big screen. The crowd rose to their feet any time Pennsylvania appeared. People were here for a celebration.
Two hours later, the wine was still flowing, but for different reasons. The mood had changed. The crowd had dwindled. Those left in the room were huddled together, scrolling on their phones or wiping away tears.
Kamala Harris’ pathway to the presidency always seemed to run through Pennsylvania, and winning Pennsylvania relied on meeting or increasing turnout in the Philadelphia suburbs, turning out women over abortion and flipping independent voters who had soured on Trump.