Once again our Puddy is brilliant!!!  And he is right.  Craig really became a "Surprise" party--not the surprise the party wanted.  Surprise's insolence was unchecked by absent Supervisor Tommasone.  

Reps you need a make-over.  The Dems finally got the do-over they have been waiting for.  Puddy every word from you--a jewel.

Mertz or Riitano??????????????   

BT- please tell us you are not an accountant. McG pulled in 17% of the vote not over 20%. What's interesting about DiLeva race is the 995 under vote compared to Supervisor race. How about some blame on Stan "THE" MAN who refused GB call to withdraw? Complete lack of leadership.

  Great first post HH but this didn't just happen. There was been an ongoing campaign to lose committeeman, to shrink the Party, to avoid accountability. Add in the huge debt and few want this big headache.

Puddy for new assessor-Cal for Deputy Supervisor?

Surprise may have played a small part in this, but clearly not to the majority of the electorate. The NNTP & the reps pulled the majority of the votes....obviously split as to not benefit either party.

People were and are concerned about their taxes, but the majority of the electorate were informed enough to go beyond surprise/rotterdam and take a close look at their school and county taxes as well. It appears that the witch hunt for surprise only involved the minority of the electorate. That was apparent in this election.

The reps didn't lose because of surprise. The NNTP were exceptional candidates that the electorate voted for. IMHO

Reps....look closely....oconner received more votes than suhrada and signore!!

Quoted from bumblethru

Reps....look closely....oconner received more votes than suhrada and signore!!

Imagine what could have happened if Stan dropped out and the REPS actually supported him on their mailers.

BT-no the Reps didn't lose just because of Surprise--but he sure was a HUGE help in that downfall.  Plain and simple people were sick of the Reps and their underhanded ways in TH.  Surprise is tied to a lot of what was wrong.  Is the van there yet?  Do they want meatloaf for their "last" supper?

Quoted from bumblethru

Surprise may have played a small part in this, but clearly not to the majority of the electorate. The NNTP & the reps pulled the majority of the votes....obviously split as to not benefit either party.

People were and are concerned about their taxes, but the majority of the electorate were informed enough to go beyond surprise/rotterdam and take a close look at their school and county taxes as well. It appears that the witch hunt for surprise only involved the minority of the electorate. That was apparent in this election.

The reps didn't lose because of surprise. The NNTP were exceptional candidates that the electorate voted for. IMHO

LOL Either you, Bumble, had some influence on the selection of Surprise or you are just plain in denial, or maybe a little of both.  Still can't bring yourself to tell yourself YOU'VE BEEN REJECTED  by the voters for your decisions made from the bully pulpit.  That is why the REPS are in for a long road to recovery.  They don't admit their mistakes, they don't learn from their mistakes and they continue to repeat their mistakes.  Slap me once, shame on you, slap me twice, shame on me.

NNTP was DOA from the beginning.  Mertz tainted the ticket and the message.

PuddyCat--just keep slapping BT till he gets it.  No shame in that.

Sorry puddy but I disagree. Do the math. The NNTP and their excellent, brilliant and dedicated candidates was the major cause for the rep loss. I'm not disagreeing that surprise played a part in this election for some. But it clearly was not the pivotal role.

It was the ingenious NNTP that crushed a major party! Smoking Bannana's was correct. And again, I don't see too much of the NNTP going away. In fact it may grow! So the reps will have some major decisions to make in the future.

The NNTP made history in little rotterdam! IMHO

FOUR GUYS brought down a major party. Changing the political landscape. Leveling the playing field. It is clearly giving others in surrounding counties ideas to ponder!  BRILLIANT!!!!!!

Does anyone know if Surprise can be shown the door?  He was appointed for a period of how many years?  Just like the Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals, they can't be terminated that easily, right?  Help me out here. I would happily wave goodbye to him, but I don't know if they can get rid of him that easily. He did taint Steve's record. He didn't cost the election in my opinion, however. There is no excuse for being rude to residents EVER!

I would believe in the future of the NNTP if they all disavowed their major party enrollments.  I believe they all kept their party club cards and didn't register as blanks.  I understand they cannot register in the NNTP until they get about 50,000 sign-ons.  That could take awhile. But if they continue to be enrolled in their own parties, I'm not sure they are committed to carrying on.  I cannot imagine John Mertz quitting his day job. Can anyone else? I thought Brad and Mike already said adios to political life. Too bad, they were keepers.

woof, woof

Just out of curiousity BT How long you been around Rotterdam Town politics?  Not long enough to remember I am quite sure.  There have been primaries, third party insurgents and major shifts in the balance of power from one party to another.  Trust me, and others on the board know, I forgot what you haven't learned yet about campaigns in Rotterdam.  NNTP is small potatoes compared to past "insurgencies" in the T/O Rotterdam.  And you know what?  They fizzled out.  Died on the vine.  Lost their Mojo.  Not every single vote the NNTP received was earmarked for the REPS.  There is just no way to gauge that.

Brad brought absolutely NOTHING to the Town Board races.  His base support was in the hilltowns.  McGarry is the only viable future candidate BUT only with major party backing.  Many have tried the insurgent candidate route but very few have prevailed.  I suggest BT you try the State of Vermont!    

BT has the nerve to talk about math? LOL! 17% is not over 20%. Talk about fuzzy math. The REPS ran a insane cartoon campaign, had stunad leaders and lost the minute FDG replaced Richard Beets.

   Puddy is absolutely right about the NNTP. Half of them weren't even campaigning a week before the election. Guess who? Talked to Brad and he is furious at these backstabbers.

These candidates brought down and crushed a major party.....single handedly. And it would appear that most of the votes the NNTP took were indeed for the reps. The NNTP candidates were for small government and less spending. Just the opposite of the dem ideology. If anything, the NNTP pulled some moderate dems into their fold. Don't forget that these guys are staunch cons.

If they fizzle out, they're accomplishment was still monumental. And like I stated before....if the reps are smart, they should can their present leadership, re-group, re-energize and wine' n' dine these guys for future elections. These candidates bring with them bright and fresh new ideas with a desire only to serve. They are not politics as usual.

Time will tell...but they clearly garnered enough votes to  make any major party take a second look at them. I think it's the reps move now. IMHO