A few observations on yesterday’s election —
The 4th District Council Race. Despite experiencing the most negative campaign in recent memory, Lynn Binnie won reelection handily over Paul Yvarra.
Of the two-candidate vote (excluding write-in votes), Mr. Binnie received 283 to Mr. Yvarra’s 111.
By percentage, that’s a winning share of 71.8% of the vote – a higher winning percentage than the last three notable, contested races of recent years.
(For comparison, in 2013, the Singer-Crone At-Large contest had a margin of 62-38% (724-452). In 2012, the Kidd-Stone At-Large race had a margin of 68-32% (1028-488), and the Binnie-Hartmann 4th District race was much closer at 344-342.)
A Simple, Admirable Approach. Recently, I saw an advertisement in the Good Morning Advertiser for Lynn Binnie’s campaign. Here’s what it said:
FOR WHITEWATER COMMON COUNCIL
TUESDAY, APRIL 1ST
7 AM – 8 PM
EXPERIENCED,
DEDICATED REPRESENTATION
FOR THE 4th DISTRICT
Paid for by Lynn Binnie
Yes – well and succinctly said. There’s something deeply admirable about a candidate who stands on his own feet, goes out before voters, and delivers an honest, clear message.
Trends. I’d say that the long-term future for Whitewater is clear, but the time from here to there has uncertainties and twists ahead.
The Spring General Election brought a huge amount of information about political developments in town, of candidates, campaigns, insiders’ plans, and trends, offering plentiful food for thought (a refrigerator and cupboard full, actually).
There’s considerable benefit from that information, if one thinks on it carefully.
Now, though, it’s enough to see that for Whitewater, yesterday was – and so today is – a good day.
Here’s the rub. Even though the good “Dr.” was rebuffed in an election where the electors displayed the good sense not to validate his lie-based and non-factual campaign, the poor residents of Walworth County Board District 4 weren’t so lucky. I’m sure the professor will continue the “I never met a taxpayers’ dollar I couldn’t spend” ways of his predecessor, Jerry Grant. Just what Walworth County residents in general need, another spendthrift.
You’re right – there was a second Yvarra campaign.
It’s hard to see how Mr. Yvarra can make a difference in Elkhorn. Whitewater’s never had much clout in Elkhorn, and there are probably a few there who wish our city were wholly in Jefferson County, even in Rock County – anywhere but Walworth County.
Going in after a negative, error-riddled council campaign (about which other supervisors will have heard), will make having any positive success there difficult.
To make progress in a situation where supervisors are expected to go along with the crowd is hard enough; to do so with no evidence of persuasive appeal or policy-making insight is just about impossible.
It’s a prospect of a whole term of sitting on the sidelines (and accomplishing nothing) or going with the flow (and helping others accomplish wasteful things).
Either way, it’s a lost opportunity for the term ahead.