On a night when Republicans statewide and nationally enjoyed the riches of election night victory, scores of local GOP candidates went down in flames, some more painfully than others. Former Pottsville City Police Chief and Sheriff candidate, Dale Repp, lost a heartbreaker to incumbent Joseph Groody by 500 votes. Pottsville mayoral candidate Beth Pillus fell short of incumbent Mayor John DW Reilly by 100 votes. And, District Attorney contender Christine Holman was shellacked by current DA, Jim Goodman, by over 3000.
But, while Schuylkill Republicans were drowning themselves in quarts of Yuengling, the rest of the GOP nation was toasting to victory. In Virginia, McDonnell recaptured the Governor’s mansion in impressive fashion by dispatching his democrat opponent by nearly 20 points, while his GOP slate-mates swept the rest of the statewide races. Likewise, in New Jersey, GOP challenger Chris Christie upset incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine. In the Pennsylvania judicial races, Republicans were victorious in 6 of the 7 contests on the statewide ticket.
The only GOP success story of the night in Schuylkill County was political phenom Scott Thomas, who at the age of 19, was elected to the Pottsville School Board. Still, even that story had a sour after taste as incumbent board president, Jack Dolbin, was ousted from his seat by democrat Denise Fanelli.
So what happened?
Two words: Bob Ames.
All those winning races I mentioned above had one thing in common . . . organization. Schuylkill democrats had a great game plan coming into election day and were effective in implementing it. Every precinct in the county was covered during all hours the polls were open. Every worker was armed with arms-full of campaign literature. Prominent democrat politicians were present in swing districts. All these factors tipped the scales in the democrats favor tonight.
Meanwhile, the Republican ground game was non-existent. Polls were left uncovered. Signs were not posted. Literature was in short supply. And leadership was invisible. I witnessed this first-hand. In my hometown of Orwigsburg, the Applewood precinct was left vacant. While democrat Clerk of Courts Stephen Lukach stumped for Goodman and Groody, Holman and Repp didn’t even have a sign visible. The only reason there were signs at the borough hall precinct was because I took the ones in my yard and staked them out in front of the poll myself. Goodman ended up winning Orwigsburg by 3 votes, while Groody only lost by 150. This, in a town that is nearly 70% Republican. Dave Argall and Jerry Knowles easily won here less than a year ago by double digits. And, this in a town where the long-time GOP committee members stepped down two months ago, but their posts remained unfilled today (even though I personally asked if I could fill the void, but was refused).
In East Brunswick Township, another Republican bastion, the designated poll worker failed to show up. Calls to Republican Headquarters in Pottsville went unanswered. It took Christine Holman going out there herself late in the afternoon to have a Republican presence at that precinct at all. I personally called HQ four times to attempt to fill vacant polls and obtain more literature for other poll workers. However, each of my calls were never answered.
Key Republican political operatives, who are battle tested campaign veterans that know how to get out the vote, were either never contacted to contribute on election day or were told that they were not needed.
These faux pas are merely the tip of the iceberg. It doesn’t even get into the major problems with anemic fundraising, disappearance of phone banking, and no support with neighborhood canvassing, that ALL the Republicans candidates in Schuylkill County experienced during this election cycle.
2009 marks the fifth straight election defeat for the local GOP and the fourth in a row for the current Schuylkill Republican Chairman. To add insult to injury, this Election Night was historic in the fact that a Republican candidate who won Pottsville was unsuccessful county-wide due mostly to the fact that he (Dale Repp) lost key voting districts in Ames’ backyard of Coaldale and Tamaqua, and in places like Hegins where democrats actually hide the fact that they are democrat for fear of public flogging.
For years, I have been screaming at the top of my lungs for a change in leadership in the Schuylkill County GOP Committee. Maybe after tonight’s embarrassing effort, the rest of the party might actually get a clue and join my bandwagon.
