Passing out American flags, Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa's supporters stamped their feet and shouted support at his election-night headquarters -- jubilant even without finality.
Results had slowed to a trickle -- delayed because of fog -- but Villaraigosa's stalwarts, gathered at Hollywood's Henry Fonda Music Box Theater seemed more and more certain of a win.
Across town, front-runners pushed their speeches later into the evening, and held off on balloon drops. Frustration grew as election officials offered little explanation for the paucity of results.
Mayor James K. Hahn's backers remained optimistic and defiant. At the Conga Room nightclub on Wilshire Boulevard -- where the marquee read: "Hahn for Mayor 2005" -- they pounded their fists in the air at the earliest results showing the incumbent picking up the most absentee ballots.
The news came via BlackBerries and pagers not long after the polls closed at 8 p.m., even before a campaign worker could display them on a big-screen TV.
"It's a good night! It's a good kickoff!" said Councilman Tom LaBonge, a Hahn booster.
State Sen. Gil Cedillo led the crowd in a chant of "Four more years!"
"We've got to keep the high spirits," said LaBonge, "keep thinking strong for Jim Hahn."
Later, Hahn came out to talk to the crowd, backed by Randy Newman's "I Love L.A."
"I wanted to come out here and thank you from the bottom of my heart," Hahn said. "It looks great, everybody."
Across the fog-draped hills in Van Nuys, Bob Hertzberg's supporters cheered the same numbers, which put their man in second place in the absentee count.
Conventional wisdom -- buoyed by exit polls -- predicted a foot race for second place between the former Assembly speaker from the Valley and the incumbent from San Pedro. The top two vote-getters will face off in May.
But when would they know?
As midnight drew closer, there was little real data to go on. The delays threw off the well-choreographed routine of election night -- bands, food, drink, hope, balloons and confetti.
Timely concessions and troop-rallying victory speeches all had to wait.
At Villaraigosa's camp, 1,000 people filled the auditorium, balconies and a rooftop terrace, where wine was served in plastic cups and supporters ate cold cuts and chicken wings.
As the band played, a large projection screen showed what few precinct returns were available.
