On election night, my jaw was on the floor. I did not expect the school referendum to win by a 2-1 margin and I did not expect someone to win the Champaign Mayor’s race with more than 35% of the vote. If there has ever been a case that grass roots wins elections, this is it. The Keep Central Central effort and the Feinen campaign were huge winners. Here are my post-election top five takeaways from the April 7th election.
- Hell “No”!/KCC: That is pretty much what the voters in Unit 4 thought about the proposed referendum. I thought the referendum might lose by double digits, but I didn’t expect it to lose by a 2-1 margin. I have a strange feeling the new board will take over, go through the same process, and ultimately pitch the same Interstate Drive location as the capacity issue becomes more pressing. No matter which site is chosen and subsequently proposed to the voters, the community will hopefully feel like they are part of the process and will feel more inclined to support a less-than-perfect solution. I suspect the KCC folks will remain a major part of the conversation going forward.
- Unit 4 School Board: All the incumbents lost. I’m not surprised, but some good public servants lost their elected positions. In some ways, they had considerable influence in preventing the anti-school board sentiments that resonated throughout the community and ultimately led to their defeat. In other ways, they were simply on the ass end of a political storm they never intended to get caught in. Before the November referendum, I joked and wondered what Laurie Bonnet was going say. Little did I know her notorious interview on election night in November would have everyone talking — and motivated — to see the referendum fail. Just days after the election, Joe Petry became involved and Keep Central Central would later make its mark on the community and the school board election. Of course, it wasn’t about one defining moment, but that sure was a very important moment. At the end of the day, a politically-diverse cross section of the community felt alienated and the rest is history. Hopefully, Kerris Lee and Jamar Brown will bounce back from this. All eyes will now be on the school board as they select a new School Board President.
- Mayor-Elect Deb Feinen: It was Don Gerard’s race to lose, but Deb Feinen treated it like it was hers to win. She ran a textbook campaign and worked tirelessly knocking on doors while a team of dedicated volunteers made thousands of phone calls. Her message focused on what people have in common instead of what makes us different. Her GOTV (get out the vote) effort in the months leading up to the election may never again be matched in local political circles. If you didn’t notice it, you were one of the few. It was all positive and there were no tricks or gimmicks. It was like watching a baseball game where Team Feinen just hit one line drive after another, where a positive attitude and good fundamentals won the game in decisive fashion.
- Chamber of Commerce/Business Empowered PAC: The Business Empowered PAC endorsed Deb Feinen and supported her with a $10,000 contribution. With that contribution came election support and direct campaign staff. I feel strongly this made a positive difference for Feinen. The school board candidates also received money and campaign assistance. Don Gerard went out of his way pick a fight with the Chamber of Commerce and Chamber President Laura Weis. I don’t expect elected officials to all agree with the Chamber of Commerce on any given issue, but it will not help your reelection chances if you choose to start a war with them. This election demonstrated that a Business Empowered PAC endorsement carries with it a lot of weight.
- Champaign County Young Dems: The Young Dems were not highlighted in my pre-election article. I was not aware they planned to raise and spend $6,000 this election cycle. Young Dem President Matt Duco explained their efforts in some recent comments in this SP article. That level of support is certainly noteworthy. It most certainly caught my attention when I heard their ads running. That said, I firmly disagree with their strategy and tactics. Their message was divisive and hyper partisan. When I heard their ad and read their posts on FB, I felt Deb gained 2-3 votes for every one they gained. I thought it would turn people off and I suspect the negatively hurt the candidates they were trying to help. I pretty much disagree with everything Matt Duco says or does, but I do admire the scrappy spirit of the Young Dems. I think they will regroup and learn from this election and grow into a more formidable political presence. I think of Matt Duco as the Scrappy Doo of local politics. He’s always ready to fight the evil republican monsters and he’s never afraid to mix it up. As much I disagree with him, I admire his tenacity.
Honorable Mention:
In my pre-election article, I mentioned confidently that Tim Johnson and Brendan McGinty were “locks” for the Parkland Trustee race. I was surprised to see that Brendan lost a close election. I take full responsibility for jinxing him and was sad to see him lose. That said, Parkland College is in good hands with James Voyles and Tim Johnson as Trustees.
Last but certainly not least, I was pleasantly surprised to see Jane Solon-Wetmore retain her seat as Champaign Park District Commissioner. She seemed to be swimming against the tide as she supported the referendum and was the focus of a scathing N-G editorial for not rescusing herself during the Dodds Park land swap vote.
44% increase in voter turnout from 2011 in the City of Champaign. That is awesome!