As we all know by now, in the races that got national level attention, we had some very satisfying successes (NY-23) and some bitter disappointments (probably closest to our hearts, Question 1 in Maine).
Things happen less dramatically at the local level. Dede Scozzafava would have waltzed to victory if the national wingnuts had not decided to make an example of her. But when the dust settles, I think the evidence is still there that even with local elections the country is slowly, slowly continuing to shift in our direction.
I'm looking for your stories of disappointments and triumphs. My sympathy for your disappointments, and a cheer for your triumphs, especially on races that CNN and the New York Times will never cover but that mattered to you. And I'm looking for evidence that in your district, as in mine, local politics may be shifting too.
More after the fold.
There were local elections I was watching here where I live. Little things that make no difference to people in the next county, and (this is the problem) very little difference to people even within the county. Change happens much more slowly at that level because people upset with the national Republican party haven't found enough reason to be as angry at their local operatives. "They're doing OK and I've always been Republican" seems to be the general feeling.
But nevertheless, change happened even here.
I live in Delaware County, PA, a suburb just to the west of Philadelphia. Like NY-23, local government has been in the hands of the Republicans since sometime in the mid-to-late 19th century. Like NY-23, the local Republican machinery keeps grooming locals and for the most part the majority Republican population is happy enough with them to elect them. These faces are all Republican.
There are issues, but it's hard to get people angry about them. I had no idea until the it was pointed out by the Democratic candidate for 2006 County Council Chair, that we have no health department. None. We are one of the largest counties in the country without one. The money goes to patronage and other places with virtually no record or accountability. I thought that was a winning issue but in 2006 as in every election, the Republicans swept the slate.
Best news that year was probably the election of Brian Lentz to the State House, and Joe Sestak to Congress, ousting crazy Curt Welden.
So too this year. The Democratic candidates for 2 open County Council seats lost by wide margins, as did the 4 candidates for borough council in my little local borough. And even our crazy mayor, a guy widely disldained because of his wingnutty op-eds in the Delco Times and his habit of putting his mayor credentials on news stories discussing his legal work fighting gun control... he won reelection as well.
We have a dedicated group of local Democrats, but I'm beginning to wonder if this wall can be breached in my lifetime.
But here's my bright spot, from our local Delco Times: Chester Stunner: 2 Dems win first citywide races since ’91
Democrats John Linder and Portia West trounced their Republican opponents in what has been a longtime GOP stronghold.
Besides one period of Democrat control in the 1990s, Republicans have had an iron grip on the city government since the 1900s.
So I guess my take-home lesson is that even in local goverment, even in places with a century of Republican stranglehold... change is happening.