You're probably thinking, "Come on! Tuesday's election results have been picked over by blogger buzzards like a three-day old zebra carcass on the Serengeti!" Sorry, but there's still meat on dem bones.
The main storyline locally is that the Democratic Party's slated candidates fared extremely well. Sheriff candidate Colonel John Layton received 61% of the vote in his race against Mark Brown, while prosecutor candidate Terry Curry received 64% against current Marion County Assessor Greg Bowes. Countywide, in fact, the only slated candidate who lost was Charles Gaddy, who was defeated by Maxine King, the incumbent Small Claims Judge in Wayne Township. King's victory further cements my hypothesis that African-American woman are natural slate busters, in particular when their names are at the top of the alphabet. For historical evidence, see Billie Breaux (Jean, too, I think), Kim Brown, Linda Brown, and Julia Carson. I'm sure I'm missing others, so throw them in my comment box.
Anyway, Tuesday was well-oiled Democratic party machinery on display.
If Democratic mayoral contender Brian Williams was contemplating going through slating in 2011, he can't be now. If the Democratic Party's heavyweights (or "insiders" if you prefer) can rope so many of their more detached kindred spirits to support Curry and Layton, imagine how persuasive they'll be among their Precinct Committeepersons (PCs).
Further, while I'm still calculating the numbers, quite a few of the PCs that came from the Williams camp's initial submission of close to 200 new PCs were defeated on Tuesday, making his slating prospects even more gloomy, though Williams did succeed in placing over 100 in empty precincts, and those folks with stay. Nonetheless, I believe we've entered the "primary planning phase" for the Williams campaign.
Across the aisle, the Republican Party's main guy, Dennis Fishburn only captured 55% in a race against Bart McAtee.
Some may rightfully contend that my comparison is unfair because neither Bowes nor Brown had the money McAtee did. Had McAtee been unable to afford his last week radio barrage, Fishburn might have weighed in around 62-64%, just like the Dems. Maybe, but McAtee was a guy rank and file GOP apparatchiks branded a patronage sopping turncoat, and the fact they couldn't convince their less ideologically committed brethren to believe it tells you that the operation ruptured along the communication chain.
This notion is reinforced by the fact the GOP's slated candidate for 7th District Congress, Carlos May, lost with 37% in a three-way race to perennial candidate for something, Marvin Scott. Scott didn't have a last (or any minute) media blitz. How do you explain his victory? Many will contend that "Marvin Scott" name ID trumped all. If so, the GOP foot soldiers failed to dissuade their own from selecting a guy who got bucked on all of his four prior ballot rodeos (U.S. House - 1994, U.S. House - 1996, U.S. Senate - 2000, U.S. House - 2004).
(As a quick aside, don't you love how the Republican Party's "new leadership" consists of Dan Burton, Dan Coats, and Marvin Scott, three guys who were on the ballot in 1996? It's like the GOP is using Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine for candidate recruitment.)
Did "nativism" or prejudice cost Carlos May? Stay tuned....
...up next...
...A Shameful Moment for the Democratic Party...and.....
...Let's Play Name Combat!
4 comments:
You missed Samantha Adair-White...who by the way have never referred to herself as "Adair" since marriage. And will probably not refer to herself for another four years.
Senator Jean Breaux never ran against the Slate.
Marvin Scott ran for U.S. Senator in 2004 against the babykiller Marxist FemiNazi Evan Bayh which hardline GOP voters remembered fondly and affectionately. They'd forgotten that Starvin' Marvin had been whupped back in 2000 by Congresslady Julia Carson 59% to 40%.
Chris, you've ended several entries with teases of what I assume to be topics for future entries:
...up next...
...A Shameful Moment for the Democratic Party...and.....
...Let's Play Name Combat!
and
Coming shortly....
What Tuesday certainly says about party strength in Marion County....
What Tuesday arguably says about prejudice in Indiana
and
Coming soon....what political insiders are supporting this deal and why
and
Stay tuned for...
...who in the Democratic caucus is looking to jump the fence on the Mayor's water deal; and
...iPOPA's Weekend Political Round-Up (an overview and commentary of all pre-primary political activity at all levels)
I think, of all those topics, only two have made it to actual blog entries.
TLDR: STOP TEASING US!
Seriously, keep up the good work.
On another note, have you heard anything about the possible privatization of parking meters and city-owned garages? I've been digging and am getting dead ends.
Any Dem councilor that votes for the Mayor's water company tax scam should have serious primary opposition and lose the office.
Post a Comment