GOP Seizes Control Of City-County Council

by Brendan O’Shaughnessy - November 7th, 2007 - Indianapolis Star

Earlier this year, before property tax bills arrived and before income taxes were raised, Democrats were predicting they would win as many as 20 of the council’s 29 seats.

As with Democrats all over America, any displeasure with the Democrat program was met with an attitude that the people were "on their side". Republicans had been defeated in the last election and now that Democrats were on top, nothing would interfere with their tax and spend program. The people supported them. The people had abandoned the war mongering Republicans.

Reacting to the overwhelming loss, William Oliver, a Democrat unopposed in District 10, said he was concerned about Republicans controlling the council.

“There’s so many newcomers over there,” he said. “So many experienced Republicans chose not to run, it’s kind of alarming.”

Democrats were caught by surprise. Many Republicans were too, as the consensus of public opinion did not anticipate the Republican victory. Like Republicans all over America, there was actually a feeling of despair among party members until yesterday's surprise victories.

Democratic challenger Carey Hamilton, who raised more money than all but one other council candidate, said people she talked to at the polls in District 4 were upset about property taxes, even though the council had more control over the county income tax increase. She said she had mistakenly believed voters connected the property tax increase more closely to the state legislature.

“I wasn’t expecting there to be so much anger about taxes,” Hamilton said. “I don’t think my message really mattered much at that point.”

Surprise victories for Republicans came from across the county.

For many years there has been a growing conviction our nation was moving towards freedom and away from the socialist practices of the Democrat Party. In the face of an unpopular war that seemed to be going against America, and with the National Republicans abandoning the commitment to fiscal responsibility, many Republicans went down to defeat in the last election. This election in Indianapolis seems to suggest that Democrats may have misunderstood the mood of the people.

The direction of the country has not changed. The last election was a reminder to the Republicans that they were not intended to forget who put them there. This election seems to be the same reminder for the Democrats, at least in these races in Indianapolis.

And yet, here in the South that national mood does not seem to prevail yet. Why is that?