Check out this KOS diary on the Democratic gains in suburban Philly

[Gloria]

The diarist "couldn't believe his eyes..."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/11/9/232436/862

snip

This is a very Republican area. Reading the local election results I could not believe my eyes. It was a long list of one Democratic upset after another, read a few:

Hatboro, PA: The Democrats have not held a single seat on Hatboro Council in 14 years. In one day, yesterday, they took a super-majority on the council and upset a Republican Mayor who had been in office for two decades.

Doylestown Borough, PA: As of Monday, all nine members of Doylestown's council, and its mayor, were Republicans. After election day, Democrats took three of those seats and the mayorship.

Doylestown Twp, PA: Two Democrats defeat Republicans for open supervisor seats in very conservative township.

Hatfield Twp, PA: Republicans lose their 4-1 grip to a 3-2 Democratic Majority.

Chalfont, PA: Two Democratic challengers took spots on the borough council.

Warminster, PA: A Democrat wins the job of township supervisor for the first time in more than a decade.

Warrington, PA: The board of supervisors was 4 for 4 republican. After big upsets last night, it stands at 2-2.

Quakertown, PA: Republican Borough Council President ousted by a Democratic challenger.

[flowomo]

1. that is very interesting! but something local must be going on....

the races described here involve things like taxes, development issues and school issues and so on. It seems unlikely the fed gov is affecting these races. What do you think is going on?

[Carla in Ca]

2. Great news. What a turn around.

As much as I'd like to think this is another slap to *, and some of it could be attributed to him, I agree that these are state and local issues. I'd be interested to know what the main focus/strategy of the Dem candidate's campaigns were.

[The Judged]

3. All politics are local. The Democrats are laying new foundation.

Long Island, NY: Republican leadership is over! First time since 1976!

The Republicans can't find enough crooks and liars to rob every local election.

With locals present and paying attention, it could be a little difficult to rob them blind and hijack their government.

Hmm, looks like the Republican Revolution, which began in the 1970's, has been exposed for what it is:

A Crime against humanity and an attempt to defraud and end Democracy before it actually arrived.

[CreekDog]

4. Happened in SF Bay Area about 20+ years ago

And completed to nearly all Democratic representatives at state and federal level about 5 years ago. Los Angeles was trending this way about 10 years ago, but there are still conservative burbs there (but not all). In the SF Bay Area, Kerry won all but a handful of small cities/towns and many deep in the suburbs by sizeable margins.

[Adelante]

5. That one is shocking

"Long Island, NY: Republican leadership is over! First time since 1976!"

I read about Suffolk County and almost fainted.

[Mend]

6. this is terrific....and we need to work on the school boards

too, or the kids will be studying the bible in biology class.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. Translation: Santorum is finished if this continues

Finished. He'll lose in na landslide. If he can't secure those areas, he'll be wiped out.

[LynneSin]

8. I use to live in that area and I can think of 3 things causing this

The biggest misconception is that this is a heavily conservative area - IT'S NOT. Northern Bucks County (Hatboro, Hatfield & Quakertown) is conservative, but as you go south it starts getting more moderate. Bucks County has vote democratic for statewide offices and even President for as long as I lived there but we had a very moderate US Representative with Jim Greenwood so they let him slide.

Now, what could have happened I could attribute to 3 things in the area

#1) There was a statewide dissatisfaction with the pay-raises that the state legislature gave themselves. Both chambers of PA Congress are controlled by the republicans so knowing that they couldn't oust their representatives they went after anyone that was on the ballot this year

#2) Anti-Bush sentiment - I can almost guarentee that Bush never won this county in either of his election. All the years I lived in that region I went through 4 presidental elections and the county always went democrat. Plus this area is very environmentally atune AND has a stronghold Gay community over in Eastern Bucks County (New Hope)

#3) Backlash against Michael Fitzpatrick. For 10 years this region was represented by a very moderate republican Jim Greenwood. Hell he was the chair of the pro-choice republican caucus. But Jim retired (I think he was frustrated with Bush) and the dems didn't have the strongest candidate. The repukes somehow managed to get a neo-con on the ticket that pulled "Swift Boat" tactics on his opponent. And now the people of PA-08 realize they have an idiot as their representative. This same thing happened in neighboring PA-13 when they got Jon Fox as their representative and he basically was Newt Gingrich's poodle. Fitzpatrick, like Fox back in 1998, will be ousted in 2006.

[TK421]

9. Hey LynneSin, where did you used to live in Bucks?

Right now, I'm in Levittown

[LynneSin]

10. Doylestown Township

Lived off of Bristol Road for about 12 years

[TK421]

11. I love Doylestown! A good friend of mine has an apartment in the

borough- two doors down from the County Theatre. Did you ever eat at Stuffits? :9

[LynneSin]

12. No but I use to drink at Finney's

:D

[TK421]

15. I have consumed many a brew there

[LynneSin]

17. I wonder if Rich is still bartending there

I think he was there all the years I lived in that area.

[TK421]

18. I never knew their names, but the last time I went there the bartender

was this short, stocky guy who was kind of mean-looking (maybe late 40's?)

[LynneSin]

23. Did he have kinda reddish hair

and splotchy skin - that's Rich. I use to hang out with all the bartenders there on a Saturday Night and then afterwards a bunch of us would go to the VFW for the afterhours club down in Willow Grove.

Ah....them were the days!

[TK421]

25. This guy had something of a buzz-cut, if I recall. I don't think his hair

was red (maybe it was). I should be going up there this weekend, as a matter of fact. I plan on getting my usual caramel-apple hot cider from the Starbucks there. I'll have one for you!

[July]

13. Former Chalfonter . . . er, Chalfontette . . . ummm, you know what I mean

Used to live in tiny little Chalfont. Hey, you guys! I liked Bucks County very much, except for the wingnuts.

[TK421]

14. Is the Roasted Pepper still around? I used to love their food

[July]

16. It was when I lived there, but that was six years ago. nt

[LynneSin]

26. Ahhh....The New Britian Inn

:D

[July]

27. Ever go to Madame Butterfly in Doylestown?

My kids love that place.

[MarianJack]

19. I'm Formerly From DelCo,...

...and we had Bob Edgar for 12 years in Congress!

The right D can win in the burbs!

[starroute]

22. Things are changing even here in Quakertown

It used to be heavily Republican, but a year ago, the posters in people's yards were more like 50-50.

I put the change down to two main causes. One is that development has brought an influx of standard-issue suburbanites. There are fewer descendents of the old Pennsylvania German settlers and more people oriented towards the cities.

The other is that many of the Republicans around here are old-line moneyed types with a strong case of NIMBY, and Bush is turning them off in a big way.

Oh, and maybe one more thing -- that the people who actually live in the towns, as opposed to in the developments around them, increasingly tend to be the quirky types like us, who enjoy old houses more than having the latest appliances.

[TK421]

28. I used to hang out at the Q-Mart during my high school days

:hi:

[DaveinMD]

20. Suburban Philly has been trending Dem in national elections

the realingment is finally leaking down to the local level.

[Ellen Forradalom]

30. Similiar to suburban Chicago

DuPage County has been steadily trending Dem.

[Ignacio Upton]

21. Meet the counter realignment

The Northeast is realigning AGAINST the Republicans, a counter to the South. 9/11 was a political aberration in terms of turnout in PA that made the state close. The suburbs in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston are all going blue.

[Arugula Latte]

24. That's Frickin' GREAT!

Little Ricky S., your number is up!

[Patiod]

29. Please, let my Freeper fellow poll worker explain it to you all:

"It's because all the city people move out here to the Plymouth/Whitemarsh area and ruin everything and drive out all the good Republicans."

What kills me is this guy is struggling financially, but he supports Bush & Co because the Dems are going to take his guns away! I have to listen to him babble for hours every election day. Thank God for my job sending me out of town on Tuesday.

What I won't do for the Democratic Party!