Republicans celebrate with shots, optimism at Jerusalem bar

Bleary-eyed Trump supporters in Jerusalem at an informal watch party at the Mike’s Place bar continue to gain confidence as the results continue to roll in.

“We’re looking at a map I wouldn’t have expected,” says Republicans Overseas Israel director Marc Zell. “I don’t want to bring the evil eye on us, but it’s looking really good.”

Israel Jacobowitz, a Brooklynite who decided to move to Israel a month ago, bought a bottle of vodka from the bar and was trying to encourage people to take shots with him. “I’m not a fan of Donald Trump, and I don’t like his model, but Hillary Clinton is a criminal, whether or not she gets indicted it doesn’t matter,” Jacobowitz says.

Jacobowitz says he refused to vote for either candidate this year, but he is still celebrating because he doesn’t want Clinton to win.

“I’m optimistic, it was a little rough in the beginning, but it’s picked up as time went on,” says Reuven Ashenberg, the Beit Shemesh coordinator for Republicans Overseas Israel.

The crowd thinned out, from a rowdy 100 people at the start of the night to about 30 people staring at the screens around the bar. “The diehards are here, that’s the key,” says Ashenberg.

The only Clinton supporters in the bar are at one small table, as well as other members of the media.