By Saba Hamedy
BU News Service

WASHINGTON D.C. – After successfully electing Elizabeth Warren to the Senate and returning President Barack Obama to office in November, Massachusetts Democrats attending this year’s inauguration say it is especially rewarding.

“How does it feel? It’s absolutely awesome,” said Democratic National Committee member Katie Donaghue, of Westborough, Mass.

Donaghue was just one of many Massachusetts Democrats who flocked to Legal Seafood in Chinatown in DC on Sunday for a celebration on the eve of Inauguration.

The chowder-filled evening allowed the Bay State Democrats to both reflect on a challenging year – driven by campaigning and grassroots efforts – and to look ahead to four more years of Obama in office.

“Can you think of a better way to spend your time than in the company of fellow Democrats?” Donaghue said.

“We’ve got Elizabeth Warren who has just been sworn in as the first female senator from Massachusetts, we’ve got a record number of women in the US Senate, we’ve got a historic African-American elected to a second term.”

“But beyond that, we have just great people elected…people with big ideas, people who are ready to make a difference and people who are ready to lead,” she added.

Donaghue said this year, the most inspiring part of the inauguration for her has been seeing the “non-political” people’s enthusiasm.

“I’ve seen people from all over the country who’ve never been involved in politics but are just excited by the president,” she said.

For brothers Matt, 26, and Robert Cadwallader, 23, of Princeton, Mass., attending inauguration is all about the experience.

“I think this inauguration reinforces the idea of pragmatism in the government,” said Rob, who studies computer science at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.

Matt echoed similar sentiments.

“I feel like Obama’s presidency has been in many ways a validation of what I hoped for him and now I think with his re-election all that hope that I felt in 2009 is renewed,” he said. “So I’m excited for the next four years and hopefully we can get some movement on a lot of the gridlock that’s happened.”

Sandi Bagley, of Boston, said she was especially excited about the inauguration because as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention, she had more of a role in the election process.

“This year it is very exciting, but not ‘newness’ exciting,” said Bagley, who works as a consultant to nonprofits. “This exciting is about how important it is for us to be here. It’s important because it’s everything we’ve worked for.”

The Massachusetts Democrats will continue the celebration at a closed party on Monday evening.