COLUMBUS, Ohio — Now that the majority of the results are in for local, state and national elections, what will the long-term implications be? A Columbus-based organization hosted a forum for political pundits to discuss that very thing.

What You Need To Know

  • A civil conversation involving three political experts took place at the Columbus Metropolitan Club ​Wednesday

  • The panel offered their opinions of what happened since Election Day

  • Otterbein University Professor Dr. La Trice Washington says it starts with ratifying the results of the presidential election

A civil conversation involving three political experts took place at the Columbus Metropolitan Club ​Wednesday. The panel offered their opinions of what happened since Election Day.

Otterbein University Professor Dr. La Trice Washington says it starts with ratifying the results of the presidential election.

"We will wait until December 14th for the state legislatures to be filled with the electors and let them do what they do, which I believe will represent the popular vote and the will of the people on Election Day. From that point, we can sulk but we do need to work on coming back together and trying to heal," said Washington.

Mark Weaver, a Republican strategist and founder of the national consulting firm Communications Counsel, says healing is key because the division is deep.

"Pick a topic and you can pretty much guess the country's split on it — about half-and-half, and so nationally we know that, but in Ohio I think it's fair to say that the bellwether has been unrung," said Weaver.

Ohio State University Political Science Professor Emeritus Herb Asher​​ pointed out how Joe Biden may be the President-elect, but Republicans too had nationwide success. The GOP ate into the Democratic majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and currently control the U.S. Senate. Also, Republicans did not lose the majority in a single state legislature.

"And remember, before the election, there were all these predictions about how it might be a 'blue wave' and it wasn't a blue wave, and in fact, I can make an argument that Donald Trump himself in some states had coattails that actually helped underdog Republican incumbents hold onto their seats," said Asher.

You might ask what does this all mean for the future?

Weaver joked, "I would pack a lunch if you're waiting on a change in the electoral college."