Glog - Grimes Gabs
Dear Reader,
Hey, remember that crazy Takoma Park election back in . . . when was that . . . last Tuesdayt?
Wow, a whole week ago. Does anyone stll care?
A few people have asked Granolapark to keep going as an observer of city politicis. We’ll give it a try, but, the postings will not be as frequent.
As former candidate Seth Grimes observed in the comments-section, the format of this blog site is frustrating for those posting comments. One gets the feeling they are not seen. We agree. The format is frustrating for us as well. We don’t like the everything-on-one-big-page aspect of the homepage, and the reverse order is a problem. The introduction is the last post, for example. What can we say? It’s a free site.
The last post posed many questions, and you readers gave some cracking good answers. They are too good to be lost in the comments sections. So, they are featured as “glogs” - guest blogs.
If YOU, dear reader, have a glog, send it to granolapark@yahoo.com!
The glog below is from Seth.
- Gilbert
------------Seth Grimes writes--------------
I'll eventually write a ward-by-ward voting analysis.
For now, regarding the original blog item -- Dan Robinson and the people who started the write-in campaign didn't tell me about it before announcing. I spoke to Dan after and told him that it complicated life for me and that I didn't have the resources to help him.
From my point of view, it rendered a valuable advocate (Dan) unusable in my campaign since he'd now be focusing on his own, it would be unlikely to bring any new voters to me, and it made it likely that Bruce Williams would work even harder.
OK, I'll give a short taste of why I lost ward 3 so badly and why I didn't win ward 1 and why I did better than some expected in ward 2:
I did zero personal canvassing in wards 1 & 3 and I canvassed heavily in ward 2. There are other factors. I'll elaborate later.
- Seth
posted by William L. Brown @ 8:32 PM
4 Comments:
Alright, some more analysis:
I figure I lost a fair number of votes of single-issue folks who thought that Kathy was doing at least an adequate job on their issues -- Takoma Metro site development, the CC & gym -- and who thought their best bet was to "stay the course." On some of these issues, policing in particular, based on her records I should've have one votes but I suppose people didn't buy that I could improve the situation.
I know I also lost votes of people who didn't want to vote for someone who hadn't served as a council member.
Next, as Tom G. observed I didn't have anything to counter Kathy's endorsements, particularly Tom Perez's. I had private support but nothing I could use publicly. That was telling, not only because I didn't have the positive "Vote for Seth because he's great" statements but also because people infer things from the lack of public support from figures who are known to chafe under the incumbent mayor.
Marc Elrich is in that latter category and I've had a number of people tell me how amazed they were at his enthusiastic support for Kathy.
Seth
You didn't personally canvas in Wards 1 and 3? Confirms my belief that whoever knocks on the most doors wins.They gotta know you before they will vote for ya'.
I used to be surprised that Marc Elrich endorsed Kathy Poter, until someone told me that Marc plans to run (again) for the Montgomery County Council. Its called back scratching. Politics does, in fact, make strange bed fellows.
Can't fit any more aphorisms into this . . . .
Which Councilmember chafes under the incumbent mayor beside Elrich and Seamens? They both went public for a candidate. Maybe someone else that was a supPorter to get a bit of that back scratching? "No Kathy, I don't mind that you've been putting me down for 4 years. Gimme some of that smooth HK action! I'm headed for the big A!"
A candidate is not entitlement to any endorsement any more than he/she is entitled to any vote. Endorsements and votes both have to be won.
As for "that smooth HK action":
- Does Howard have significant presence in District 20 outside Takoma Park? I wouldn't think Joy would need Howard's name in Takoma Park. Heather chose a campaign manager/chair whose name I don't recognize, and it's a Spanish name to boot. That seems like a more savvy approach to me.
- Howard was de facto head of CREEP, the Committee to Reelect Porter. The CREEP-run campaign started two weeks before the election, seems to have mobilized comparitively few volunteers, used non-union materials, and relied on negative campaigning with straw-man attacks. That was enough to get an incumbent reelected in Takoma Park, but for District 20?
- My understanding is that Eileen was led to expect some of that HK action and never got it.
Switching gears, to respond to TG:
I did some campaigning in wards 1 & 3 even if not door-to-door canvassing. I had houseparties and forums and attended a few neighborhood assoc. meetings. I was out at the folk festival, street festival, farmers' market, and Metro, which are all opportunities to meet people. But in the end my reach there was way to shallow.
Seth
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