The LuLac Edition #8-May 17th, 2006

NEWS OF THE DAY…………The big news is of course the election and the results, the new voting machines and the stunning defeats of Senate Leaders Robert Jubilier and David Brightbill. Let’s do a recap and instant analysis of local races.

20TH Senatorial…….Winner: Baker. Runner Up: Madeira: Big Loser: Haggerty. While Baker will not be a true change agent, (having served both Ridge and Lemmond,) she will bring a unique perspective to the job. One of the few “insiders” that was not hurt by her status. Surprise was Madeira’s showing, bigger surprise was Haggerty’s placing. Apparently his hopes of carrying Kingston and Forty Fort did not materialize. Prediction: wrong.

112th Legislative…..Winner: Smith. Loser: Bellardi. It was all about the payraise, Smith’s openness and Bellardi’s arrogance.
Prediction: Right on the $$$$$$$.

113th Legislative…..Winner: Shimkus. Runner Up: Evans. Big Loser: O’Boyle. Name recognition for the WYOU anchor gave him the edge, Evans finished second ahead of a surging Kevin Murphy and O’Boyle who touted his Harrisburg experience finished deal last. Prediction: wrong.

113th Legislative (GOP):….. Winner: Burke. Loser: Williams. Burke has work cut out for him in heavily Dem district. No prediction.

118th Legislative…………..Winner: Carroll. Runner Up: O’Brien. Big Loser: Terry Best. Interesting race, did O’Brien and Best split the vote and enable Carroll to coast in? Did Carroll’s ads against the two PA school board members saying they had the ability to raise taxes hurt them and help him? And Best’s endorsements from the County and 118th District committees, how helpful were they in this anti incumbent primary year? Did Tom Tigue’s endorsement help Carroll? (In the 113th a Gaynor Cawley endorsement gave Bill Courtright a last place finish.) A lot of questions on this one. Prediction: Wrong.

118th Legislative (GOP)….Winner: Maureen Tatu. Loser: Spinola and Bobbouine. Biggest Loser: The Republican party. The party had its best chance in getting this seat by picking Pittstonian Arthur Bobbouine. In the fall, Bobbouine (who is a relentless campaigner) would have made inroads into Greater Pittston and carried the Poconos as a GOPer handily. Instead, Mike Carroll comes out of Pittston with a huge advantage. The winner, Maureen Tatu was unprepared for debates, did not make a great impression and will not win in November. Prediction: Wrong.

120th Legislative District (GOP)….Winner: Cordara. Loser: Chacke. Winner faces Phyllis Mundy, a formidable campaigner and well loved and respected Legislator in the fall. He better do more campaigning than he did in the primary to have a ghost of a chance. Prediction: Wrong.

121rst Legislative District……..Winner: Eddie Day Pashinski. Runner Up: Robert Reilly. Big Loser: Brian O’Donnell. With a Ed Mitchell run campaign, O’Donnell came in third. Questions, did O’Donnell and Reilly split the traditional core Demo vote enabling Pashinski a free walk in? Was there an undercurrent against the O’Donnell family and their involvement in local politics? This is the third loss for the O’Donnell’s including the race his sister in law ran for Magistrate. Is the “politics as a family business” tag so tough for the younger O’Donnel’s to shake? One of the things Pashiniski did was in his direct mail, he marketed to various age groups. Some households got three pieces mailed to different people in age demos. Prediction: Wrong.

Ltn: Governor’s Race……..Winner: Knoll. Loser: McDonald Williams. Prediction: Right on the $.

10th District Congressional Race…..Winner: Don Sherwood. Loser: Don Sherwood. Too close for comfort for a multi year incumbent and it might not bode well for the fall race.

The new voting machines in Luzerne County ran very smoothly. The poll workers seemed helpful and well trained and there were few glitches. However, after 8PM there was a line of poll workers wairting to hand in their results and that did cause some frustration which was aired on local TV. Credit goes though to Leonard Piazza, Stteve Urban and Kathy Bozinski for standing in the long line and addressing the co workers concerns. The new machines make write in votes extremely easy. That might be something to watch in future elections.

The state wide loss of Senate Pro Tem President (third in line to be Governor) and Senate Majority Leader David Brightbill sent a clear signal that voters were fed up with the architects of the payraise. In the closing weeks of the campaign, there was speculation that voters would not want to give up the senority and power both Senators brought to their districts and the cities of Altoona and Lebonon respectively. Apparently with their defeats, that was not even a thought yesterday.

COMMENTARIES……….With the defeat of Jubilier and Brightbill, one has to ask the question, what if Senators Musto and Mellow had opposition in their primaries? Musto is 77 and has been in office since 1982 (24 years) and Mellow has been in office since 1970 (36 years). Both supported the raise and took the money. Ah………the roads not taken………….How about that controversy in the Back Mountain about the voting machines where a voter came in and could not vote because he was in line and the machine shut down after 8pm. He was offered a paper ballot but turned it down (the Judge of Elections did give him the opportunity to vote!!) He then started saying his rights were being violated. Please!!!!! Sounds like a petty and unreasonable gripe to me……..I saw winner Frank Andrews Shimkus on the news last night saying Harrisburg was broke and that things needed to be fixed and government needs to be overhauled. That might be true but these new faces should remember one thing when they talk about changes in government. The changes and the funding should not be slashed at the expense of state workers. If you are looking to cut the fat, you can’t do it with the department workers and state employees. In some cases, these employees have not had raises in 6 years. I’m not saying there isn’t waste or duplication in some cases BUT when you are using rhetoric about change, let it begin with the Legislature which is the only state office not subject to an audit of any kind.

MEDIA WATCH……..WILK’s Sue Henry and Corey O’Brien did a great job in reporting the election returns staying on the air until midnight……….Amy Bradley, WBRE TV’s super reporter interviewed Congressman Don Sherwood at his victory party. Bradley brought up his affair with Cynthia Ore and the effect it might have had on his race. Sherwood answered the reporter’s questions directly and with clarity………All three local stations did a fine job in reporting and PCN featured former Ltn. Governor Mark Singel opining on the election results…….Big financial winners locally were the TV stations, cable , some newspapers and radio stations WILK, WNAK AM & FM and WEJL/WBAX ESPN sports radio. A lot of big bucks spent in this election and look for for dollars to flow in the fall campaign.

UPCOMING IN THE DAYS AHEAD…..More rehashing of this historic election day.