CJS Decision 2024

 “We’re here to support our next President, the greatest President of the United States, Donald J. Trump!”

Gavin Wax, president of the New York Young Republican Club, was speaking atop a chair before more than 200 men in smart suits, women in stylish dresses, and a smattering of bright red MAGA hats packing a bar in traditionally blue Midtown.They’re friendly and jovial, more than willing to speak to press. And they downed drinks and engaged in lively conversations as they waited for the main event: the first – and potentially last – debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Harris’s swift nomination, after President Joe Biden removed himself from the ticket in July following his dismal debate performance, has left her with a lot still to prove. A Times/Siena survey released the day of the debate showed that 28 percent of voters still wanted to learn more about Harris, while only 9 percent said the same of Trump.

But as Harris reintroduced herself on the national stage, and despite a surge in enthusiasm among young people for the vice president, those at the New York Young Republican Club’s watch party weren’t convinced. 

“I’m here for an unscripted experience where we get to see the true capabilities of the candidates come to the fore,” said Nathan Berger, the club’s vice president. 

But he didn’t sound open to persuasion. “I don’t know what Kamala is capable of – maybe ask Willie Brown that question,” he said, mispronouncing Harris’s first name and referencing  misleading claims circulating online that she had “kickstarted her career” by sleeping with the powerful Californian politician in the 1990s. 

Club members wear Trump hats to support the former President in the debate. Photo by Alex Foster

At first glance, Midtown is an unlikely place to find Republicans. New York City voted overwhelmingly for the Democratic ticket in 2020, and in Manhattan alone, Biden beat Trump with 86.4% of the overall vote. It’s especially rare to find Young Republicans: American voters aged 18 to 29 favor Harris over Trump by a 31 percent margin, according to a September survey from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics,  a number that is no doubt larger in a deep blue state like New York.

Still, Trump himself seeks allies here. Having held a rally in the Bronx in May, the increased focus on New York appears at odds with deep blue New York at large. 

For Gavin Wax, the Young Republican Club president, being outnumbered is a blessing. “It keeps you on your toes; it keeps you sharp; you have to be able to argue and defend your views,” he said. “It shows you’re really committed to your principles.”

Wax added: “Are we a minority? Absolutely. Are we surrounded? Absolutely. But that makes us far better fighters than Republicans in a deep-red state.” 

Vice president Berger agreed. “Being here strengthens a conservative’s talents and interests because you’re facing opposition - you have to fight,” he said. 

This mentality was on full display as the night went on. 

Journalists at the watch party interview supporters of the former President. Photos by Alex Foster

As the debate began, shouts of “don’t shake her hand!” and returning cries of “shut up!” as Harris began to speak echoed across the packed bar before a rapt silence fell over the attendees. 

The biggest cheers came when Trump repeated a falsehood about immigrants in Ohio. 

“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats,” Trump said on the debate stage in Philadelphia. “They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”

While the claim was immediately fact-checked and found to be false by ABC moderator David Muir during the debate, and maligned by journalists afterwards, a different reaction emerged in the Midtown bar. 

“Best line of the night!,” beamed New York Young Republican Club Secretary Ilana Markstein as she passed cups of water around to the buoyant audience. 

The crowd appeared to sag as the debate went on. An extended challenge to Trump on his role in the Jan. 6 2021 Capitol Attack was met with mutters and murmurs. “This is such nonsense,” 

one attendee said. 

Young Republican President, Gavin Wax, watches on as the former President debates.

Photo by Alex Foster

Trump denied a question from the moderators that suggested he had a part to play in the riot, saying that he “had nothing to do with that.” 

Those at the watch party echoed Trump. Troy Olson, sergeant-at-arms of the club, disagreed with critics’ assertions that the events of Jan. 6, 2021 were an insurrection or attempted coup.

“What it was, was a political protest that got out of hand,” he said, adding: “You can’t fault a candidate for thinking a lot of funny business happened and he won.”

While Trump and Harris continued to trade barbs, the party chatter muffled the numerous televisions around the bar. 

Ian McMath, the club’s media chairman, didn’t seem to care. “She’s sticking to the script,” he said while polishing off another drink. “But I hope everyone can see she’s a fake bitch.” 

The crowd filtered out of the bar after the candidates stepped offstage. Wax was elated. 

“I think it was a good night,” he said of Trump’s performance. 

“I think he did very well, he was very composed, he got very strong points across,” he said, adding that “I think a lot of people came into this with very low expectations for Harris, but because she was better than a dying corpse, people are gonna leave with the impression that she did better than expected.”