Signs of Hope for 2008?

GOP dominates suburban races

By Anthony R. Wood

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Withstanding strong challenges from the Democrats, Republicans have retained control of all the open seats on the Delaware County Council, and appeared to have won key races elsewhere in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor and fellow Republican Jim Matthews - with almost half the vote in - were leading in the county commissioners race, with former Democratic congressman Joe Hoeffel coming in third.

Republicans Carol Aichele and Terence Farrell were leading in the commissioners's races in Chester County.

In the Bucks commissioners' races, Republican Jim Cawley was leading, followed by Democrat Diane Marseglia and Republican Charles H. Martin.

Meanwhile, an $87 million open-space referendum in Bucks County was winning by a 3-to-1 ratio.

Overall, turnout was light.

Former Republican congressman Mike Fitzpatrick said Democratic turnout was light in some party strongholds. "A suppressed Democratic turnout is not good for the Democratic county commissioners," he said.

The situation was similar in Delco.

"As far as I can tell the turnout has been incredibly light and that does not bode well for Democrats in Delaware County," said Frank Daly, 58, the former Media mayor who was holding a slight lead in his run for a Common Pleas judgeship.

The Democrats, perennial minorities in the suburbs, entered the campaign season with high ambitions. The party had made big gains in suburban registrations, and was looking to capitalize on public dissatisfaction with the Bush administration's conduct of the Iraq war.

The Republicans were banking on what surveys showed to be a general satisfaction with the quality of services.

A Democratic victory in any of the suburban counties would be considered historic. Democrats have not had majority power in Montgomery County in 138 years, and have been shut out in Chester County for 148.

The light turnout, however, did not bode well for the challengers.

The Democratic party has made big gains in suburban registrations, and was looking to capitalize on public dissatisfaction with the Bush administration's conduct in the Iraq war, while the Republicans banked on what surveys showed to be a general satisfaction with the quality of services.

Democrats had big ambitions in Delaware County. David Landau, 54, had been given a good chance of winning one of the three council seats up for grabs. No Democrat has had a seat since 1980, when a charter change ended guaranteed minority-party representation.

That tradition will continue.


The TrekMedic adds:

Many pundits and political wonks (like that loser George Stephanopoulis, who could barely contain his glee tonight while reporting that Shrillary is leading some polls), saw this as a preview of the 2008 election. Well, let's hope it stays this way next November!