Donald Trump supporters celebrated an unexpected victory as Trump was declared the president-elect in the early hours of Nov. 9. 

Though too young to vote, Joey Bettinardi, a 17-year-old Senior at Brother Rice High School in Chicago, said Trump would have been his choice. However, even he did not think the Election Day outcome would be in the Republican’s favor.

“I didn’t predict Trump would win; I definitely thought Hillary had the capabilities of doing it because of the wide range of support she had. I didn’t realize Trump would possibly pull it off tonight,” Bettinardi said. “America, we did it, and hopefully we can make America great again.”

A watch party that Bettinardi and many other Trump supporters attended was hosted by Cook County GOP Chairman Sean Morrison and held at Mama Vesuvio’s East, 6361 W. College Dr. in Palos Heights, a south suburb of Chicago. The small restaurant served pizza, beer and wine to the crowd of about 35.

The supporters, most wearing red in support of the GOP, began celebrating at 8 p.m when the results had only just started showing Trump winning early states like Nevada and Wyoming. While some looked nervous, many were conversing, laughing and excitedly discussing a Trump presidency.

“He’s different, and we need a change,” said Diane Surma, a 61-year-old purchasing agent in Palos Hills. “[Hillary] is not going to do anything. Nothing would change for the next four years, and we need something.”

Maryann Kruger, a nurse also from Palos Hills, said she feared what would happen if Clinton won the race. 

“If [Trump] does not win, America is really doomed,” Kruger said. “I think we are going to have an era of depression and pervasive evilness, because I think Clinton is extremely evil.”

As the results continued to come in, one young girl was coloring the states on a map either red or blue, and the party-goers changed the channel on the small TV in the center of the room from WGN to Fox News, because they felt the cable news network was more truthful—even though WGN was reporting live from the event. 

At 10:30 p.m., when Trump was leading in electoral votes 222–202, attendees began giving each other congratulatory handshakes and saying goodbye to the cardboard cutout of Trump at the front of the room before leaving the party, as they were certain of a victory. 

Chairman Morrison said he favors Trump because of the need for change, his position on border control and the policy of placing tariffs on companies who move out of the U.S. 

He also pointed out the success of two outsider candidates on both sides:Trump, and Clinton’s rival in the Democratic primaries, Bernie Sanders. 

“This election has been like no other election we have had in our country,” Morrison said. “Both sides would do themselves justice to stop when this is all done and ask what are we not hearing from our 18–28 and 60–70 year-olds. Win, lose or draw we had two-thirds of the country say we don’t want the standard Republican and the standard Democrat. We don’t want the status quo.”

For additional photos from election night click here.