Once again, monthly blog poster, Joel Rosenthal gave his two cents worth on the mayoral campaign. His Sweet Velvet Hammer, Vernon did not win, so he is busy making excuses;
The election results in Tuesday’s Sioux Falls Mayor’s election were surprising and yet not surprising.
It was not surprising. I predicted these two would face off in the runoff, because they did something the other candidates did not. They got out of their cars and actually talked to citizens. Sioux Falls is not NY City, we are a town of 92,000 voters, it is not so hard to talk to voters in this town.
Had the election been a three or four candidate race, the results could have been much different. Keep this in mind when the ultimate winner claims a mandate for their cause.
Kinda like Munson did when he had like 7% of the citizens vote him in as mayor? I could see Mike doing this, but not Kermit. Kermit is very clear about transparent government and apathy. For godsakes, he teaches government, if anything Kermit promotes voting like a madman!
Staggers maintained his lead with his appeals and adherence to his message the city overtaxes and overspends.
Uh. They do.
Despite Staggers’ limited financial support, he had the best campaign. This really is no surprise. As I have said repeatedly he is a good campaigner and personally engaging (people like him one on one). He understands the nuts and bolts of political campaigns. Kermit blocks and tackles well. He had succinct billboards, yard signs, and television ads that delivered his message Staggers – common sense.
Jinkies Joel, seems you woke up from your long deep sleep.
While Staggers opposes government involvement in all but the most basic of city services (and he may want to change some of those as well), the election results in the four Council races refute Stagger’s view of what voters want. All four winners Rex Rolfing, Jim Entenman, Sue Aguilar and Michelle Erpenbach, are interested in quality of life issues that Staggers opposes. Entenman and Erpenbach defeated Staggers’ disciples Michael Jones and Theresa Stehly by landslide margins.
They won, because the AGENDA oriented Argus Leader endorsed them while not covering the council race at all, and the fact that most of them spent 2 to 3 times more then their opponents. In fact, in the Central District, over 700 voters DID NOT VOTE for a council candidate. Why is that? Because they did not have a clue who they were. The next council scares the shit out of me. They either have a special interest agenda, or don’t have a clue. As a reporter said to me the other day, ‘Fun Times.’ I suspect they said it sarcastically.
Common though is that the supporters of the losing candidates will coalesce for Huether. Given the poll and Staggers’ unfavorables this makes sense.
Well, Joel, considering I have been right for months about who would be in the runoff, and you have been WRONG, this prediction is laughable. That, and the fact that Kermit was the only mayoral candidate that had wide support from all parties, while Mike is clearly partisan to the Democratic party.
However, I would not completely rule Kermit out. First of all he is focused and has a plan. He will play the Republican card claiming that Huether is a Democrat and thus unworthy. I touched on Huether in March of 2009. Turnout will be important.
It doesn’t matter that Kermit is a Republican, that party crap doesn’t matter anymore, he proved that in the election and the poll. All that matters is who will listen to you when moving this city forward and it ain’t Mike Huether.