Barbara Burns thought it was a “damn shame” that the local races didn’t turn out in favor of the Democrats Tuesday night.

The Bowling Green resident and the rest of the Democrats at the Bowling Green Democratic headquarters had something to celebrate.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was elected the 44th president of the United States.

But Bruce Lunsford, candidate for U.S. Senate; David Boswell, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives; and Charlene Rabold, candidate for the state House of Representatives, all fell short.

Dan Rudloff said he and the rest of the Democrats were focusing on “the top of the ticket” after they found out about the local races.

Rudloff, a member of the Warren County Democratic Party Executive Committee, said he wasn’t surprised Kentucky ended up supporting Sen. John McCain.

But he said the sight of all the new faces in the room was a good sign that the Democratic Party in Kentucky is growing.

Rudloff’s 11-year-old son, Noah, said he’ll always be a Democrat.

Bowling Green junior Monique Braun said she expected Lunsford to win the Senate race.

“It’s kind of a disappointment – no, it’s definitely a disappointment,” Braun said.

Bonnie Gibson, another member of the Warren County Democratic Party Executive Committee, said she was disappointed in the results of the local elections, but not surprised.

“After all, this is Kentucky,” she said.

Saundra Ardrey, head of the political science department, sported a “Barack the Vote” T-shirt.

“Mitch has to be careful to understand that the people, even in Kentucky, are calling for change,” Ardrey said, referring to McConnell.

Bowling Green resident Claudia Hanes was getting impatient with all the technology the national media were using to show election results.

“Oh, stop playing with your toys, and just tell us what’s going on,” Hanes shouted at the television in front of her.

Hanes said she would not be satisfied unless Obama won by a landslide.

“We don’t even want this to be close,” she said. “We want to send a clear message that people want change.”

At press time, Obama had 338 electoral votes, and McCain had 159 electoral votes, according to CNN.

“The Democratic party is coming back,” Hanes said.

Hanes said Obama is working to pull the American people together.

“That’s the only way to get out of the economic crisis,” she said. “That’s the only way to get out of these horrible wars that don’t solve anything.”

Obama is making politics into something that helps people, rather than hurts them, she said.

She said it’s time for people to forget about the differences in political parties.

“For so long, we’ve put ourselves in these little boxes,” Hanes said.

Reach Emily Ulber at news@chherald.com.