A few quick thoughts on the primary in Whitewater:
Predictions. At the beginning of the year, I offered predictions for 2008. After the Whitewater primary, I’m probably 1-1. Sen. Obama likely will win Whitewater in November, and our incumbent municipal judge will probably be elected in his own right in April. (I have a preferred candidate in neither race.)
I expected Sen. Obama to do well, and well he did – winning each of our districts. Municipal Judge Kelly won about half the votes cast in a four-way race, and it will be hard for all Kelly’s opponents’ votes to coalesce to his remaining opponent, Art Coleman. I was wrong before, though, and it may be possible; there were a lot of votes cast for someone other than the incumbent.
It says much, though, that Kelly in the 2008 primary received more votes than Spear in the 2007 general election. Spear would be unable to win citywide: he’s finished here, no matter how often a few people insist (outrageously) that he’s somehow a victim.
New Polling Place. We were right to establish a new polling place, and it was the destination for just over 800 voters. Well-done, Whitewater.
I know, and you know, how disconcerting this polling place was to the most hidebound among us. Inconveniencing campus voters is the last refuge of a declining, stodgy town faction. Too late now – someone championing that anti-market, anti-expression clique will not be able to win in a city with fair, convenient access to the polls for all voters.
The Waning District. Over in the Third Aldermanic District, home of Common Council member and dentist Dr. Roy Nosek, voting was less than in any other district in the city. For all the talk about representing the ‘community,’ Dr. Nosek barely won his seat in the last Third District election – a two vote margin, I think – in a district that cast fewer votes than any other this election.
It’s hard to be a tribune of the people when, in fact, you represent few active voters, and you have won even fewer votes.
Obama and Whitewater. Although I have no current preference for a presidential candidate in November, Obama’s success in the primary (and that of Kerry and Gore city-wide before him) suggests the limits of the identity-theft crowd’s reach. They’re a loud, self-important clique, in an echo chamber. They have each other, a desire to abandon principle to bolster themselves, and a thin, poorly written local paper, but that’s about all.
They are a loud, but distinct minority, within town. The idea that they’re people of influence grows less true each day. (It was never true the way they want it to be; these are people who spend too much time looking in the mirror.) They place their own interest ahead of American principles of expression and liberty, and so it is no surprise that American trends leave them bitter and confused.
Poll Workers. Any number of citizens were at the polls, supporting our elections at two different polling places. They deserve our thanks and praise.