Disappointed TT Dems Smile, Pledge Cooperation

There's no way to sugar coat the numbers. It was a tough election for
Tredyffrin Democrats who lost all but two local races.

T/E School Board President Karen Cruickshank handily won re-election
in Tredyffrin Region 1. Attorney Annalisa Sondergaard won her race for Magesterial District Court Judge.

Beyond that TTDems had "better food" to offer at their election night
gathering than the republicans, quipped a clearly disappointed TTDems
Chairwoman Dariel Jamieson. Democrats met at the home of School Board
Region 2 candidate Jenny Wessels, who was running in her first political race
against Republican newcomer Liz Mercogliano.

The closest race for the Democrats in terms of the prelimanry,
uncertified vote count was the race between Democrat first-time
candidate Tory Snyder and Paul Olson, the longest-serving member on
the Tredyffrin Bord of Supervisors. Republican incumbent Olson won
re-election by 14 votes.

Patch asked Snyder for a comment about the closeness of the vote and
was offered this statement by Jamieson:

"Congratulations to the candidates who the voters have chosen to
represent them. The challenges facing our community are significant
and we wish the new office holders the best in facing them. The TT
Dems will remain committed to transparent, efficiant and effective
government for all residents of the township and we stand ready to
assist as we meet the challenges."

When asked what was the biggest factor in the school board and
supervisor elections Jamieson said"The EIT scam was the deciding factor," indicating that the Republicans had been able to paint her party as being in favor of an earned income tax, despite clear statements that the Democrat candidates were 'personally opposed' to an EIT. "How else could they have won?," Jamieson asked.

For his part, Jamieson's Republican counterpart TT GOP Leader Mike
Broadhurst said Republicans had been "out front on the issue" from the
beginning in opposing new taxes to address projected budget deficits
in the T/E School District.

The lawn signs that sprang up all over Tredyffrin and Easttown in the
last weeks and days of the campaign would certainly add credence to
the argument that an Earned Income Tax was a major, if not the central
issue, in the school board campaigns.

When asked if national or presidential politics played a role in the
outcome of Tuesday's election, Jamieson said "I don't think it's in
any way a reaction to national (politics). I think this was  reaction
to the earned income scare."

While clearly not getting the outcome they had hoped for, Democrat
at-large Board of Supervisor Candidate Murphy Wysocki and school board
candidate/election night hostess Jenny Wessels agreed to pose for a
photo for Patch. The two candidates, who appeared as genuinely upbeat
and enthusiastic as they had during their campaigns, smiled for a
photo at the end of what was for all the candidates from both
political parties, a long final day of the campaign.