Short Wins!!! UPDATED w/ John Kowalko & Mike Castle tie in
Democrat Byron Short beats Wayne Smith crony, James Bowers by 200 votes.
Dems take another seat in Leg. Hall. Congratulation to Bryon and evryone who helped out with this effort.
Two things looking at the results:
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
BRYON SHORT Votes: 2210 absentee: 64 total: 2274 – 52 . 6 %
REPUBLICAN PARTY
JAMES BOWERS Votes: 1975 absentee: 73 total: 2048 – 47 . 4 %
1) Due to the tight time frame of the special, the GOP did not clobber us with absentee votes like they have in the past.
2) 200 sounds like a slim margin – but the 52.6% vs. 47.4% makes this a decisive victory.
People are still fired up to vote against REPUBLICANISM and for a fresh start at every level of government.
UPDATE:
A diarist at kos covers the domino effect that was set in motion my electing John Kowalko.
With national coverage of the blue-ing of Delaware I’m thinking that we are going to have three Democrats in Washington after the next election.
UPDATE II: Mike Castle’s contribution to Bowers defeat figures heavily in superblogger Celia Cohen’s analysis (LINK)
I had not heard that Castle was working as hard as he did for Bowers, but given Cohen’s multiple mentions of Castle’s yeomanry and despite the fact that even with Castle’s “help,” Bowers lost in heavily Republican election districts – I think this election can clearly be viewed as a repudiation of Mike Castle. People smiled an nodded at Congressman Doofus, closed the front door and said, “Yeah…right.”
[Note: Congressman Doofus shifts the blame for Bowers loss to George Bush without having the guts to come out and say it.]
Short owes John Kowalko a drink for his lobby reform bill that forced Smith out.
We Got Out The Vote! And a few of the R’s crossed over. It’s is a happy day here!
From someone that was in it all day. It was amazing dems have the best organization hands down. Money can only do so much!
Really puts the pressure on Burris and his famous letter to deliver a republican in the 41st.
According to Mike at Down With Absolutes, Atkins is determined to be a spoiler.
A moment of silence, please, for the DE GOP!
May it rest in peace.
Hey Mike Castle…
SURF’S UP!!!!
Wow. This is indeed significant. Smith was always a walk in this district (the only exception being the election against Dave Brady after redistricting).
Congrats to Short.
Republicans had a +500 registration advantage and outspent Short $68K to $45K and the Dem STILL won. Best quote from Celia’s blog:
“The Republicans’ analysis has been, we’ve got a 500-vote edge, and our response was, so what? We’ve got a great candidate, and nobody wants to be a Republican,” said Mark T. Brainard, chief of staff for Gov. Ruth Ann Minner.
Mike Castle is presumably now headed downstate to door-knock in the 41st, where surely he will be greeted with flowers and candy.
Don’t count on that. He is perceived as liberal in a very conserative 41st district. Could someone please check and see how Adkins compared to Carper, Castle, and the rest of the elected officials in that district? It would be interesting to see those numbers.
Grrr…. the state Department of Elections website has overwritten the 2006 General results with yesterday’s special election.
http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect06/elect06_general/elect06_general_electronic_data/elect06_data_index.shtml
Wow. This is indeed significant. Smith was always a walk in this district
*
Legis redistricting behind closed doors is a powerful vote counter.
“I had not heard that Castle was working as hard as he did for Bowers…”
“I think this election can clearly be viewed as a repudiation of Mike Castle.”
So if you (with your constant Castle obsession), and presumably the vast majority of the voters, were unaware of Castle’s involvement in the campaign, how could it be seen as a repudiation of him?
I did not know about Castle’s frequent trips to the district befor reading Cohen’s fine blog Delawaregrapevine.com
Now that I know about Castle’s GOTV work on Bowers behalf and given the results I say that both Castle and Bowers were rejected.
Of course that does not take anythign away from Short and the Dems who worked thier asses off.
I’m not sure this political tea-leaf reading is on point. Bryon Short had a number of advantages as a candidate over Jim Bowers. I think District 7 voters liked Wayne because he always gave good constituant service and (on the whole) played nice. Whether they deplored his more extreme views or not (and of course, many did)they knew they could count on him to look into their pothole problems.
Delaware has never been a big “issues” state. Until recently, Republicans here were all moderate “Rockefeller” types, and Democrats were more Dixiecrat. Don’t bother to throw things. 😉 A balanced legislature and truly “bi-partisan” politics was more the rule than the exception. As the country’s political climate polarized, and more voters carried other traditions into town, Delawareans had to reassess the rules of play a little.
But Bryon had more experience in the type of job he was running for, and did the work of getting elected. Miserable as that door to door stuff is, Delawareans expect our government to be responsive, that way. All Delaware politicians, more or less, serve in the shadow of Cale Boggs.
I think the voters of the 7th, and everywhere else in this state, hope they know that.
Legis redistricting behind closed doors is a powerful vote counter.
And your point, Nance? The redist. that affected Wayne’s district almost cost him his seat. Sure sounds “self-serving,” eh? And, are you implying — again — he did something illegal?
Buffoon.
Nah, Hube. Wayne didn’t do anything illegal. Dropping out of an honor bound committment in the Legislature for more money in the ‘paid whore’ club as “most new whore” is an really honorable thing to do. Swell guy. Not a rat jumping the GOP sinking ship at all. Nope.
And, as Nancy has noted, he ran after the money and left the taxpayers in Delaware to foot the bill for a special election to replace him. Just five weeks after the session started. Nice values!
I suppose Disbelief would have stayed in a $50k job if he could have made a lot more money and had 4 kids. Get real, you would do the same thing.
Congrats to Mr. Short. We in Delaware are one vote closer to higher taxes and less freedoms. Let change the color of the state flag to red with a hammer and sickle.
Rope-a-Dope, I’m not that optimistic about Wayne’s money making ability. He is now lobbying to a body made up of old enemies. I don’t think he’s going to last long in the lobbying business.
Your argument that Wayne left for greener pastures is, I think, not going to hold true.
Legis redistricting behind closed doors is a powerful vote counter.
And your point, Nance? The redist. that affected Wayne’s district almost cost him his seat. Sure sounds “self-serving,” eh? And, are you implying — again — he did something illegal?
Buffoon.
Hubicube you are so easy!
soooooooo easy
poor fella