Here's what I'm working with:


What I need to do is connect these two sets of wires. As far as I can tell, the only "hot" wire is the red one.

We're removing a light switch and need to connect the two sets of wires that were connected to the switch.

Before I removed the switch, the white wires were tied off to each other (not connected to the switch at all), the black wires were on the same pole and the red was on a pole of its own.

I tried connecting white-to-white, black-to-black and left red own its own and everything seemed to work fine (as far as other things on the same circuit), but wanted to make sure that's what I should do first before I made it "official."

 

That sounds correct, keeping the grounds together too.

 

Pigtail the blacks to each other so you only have one wire under one screw.

I mis read your OP. you are eliminating a switch. Yes what you propose will work fine. Junction box must be left exposed with proper blank plate.

 

Are you removing a light too? Evidently the red wire goes to a light or some other switched item, but you didn't say. All I understood you to say was you were removing a switch.