Thu, Nov 26 2009
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Published November 11, 2008 09:41 pm - PITTSBURG, Kan. — Politicians in both parties in Crawford County say they are still in shock after last week’s election saw Republicans win one key race, and possibly another, in the normally reliable Democratic stronghold. How did GOP crack Dem stronghold By Greg Grisolano ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com PITTSBURG, Kan. — Politicians in both parties in Crawford County say they are still in shock after last week’s election saw Republicans win one key race, and possibly another, in the normally reliable Democratic stronghold. “Absolutely,” said Beth Bradrick, chairwoman of the Crawford County Democratic Party. “We thought we were looking good late on Monday (Nov. 3).” While the county was one of only three in Kansas to throw its support behind Barack Obama for president, Republicans made political inroads on Nov. 4 by seizing the state Senate seat for the first time in 24 years. The GOP also hopes to capture a countywide office, but the results are still pending in the race for county attorney. After a recount Tuesday, the contest between Republican Michael Gayoso Jr. and incumbent Democrat John Gutierrez remains undecided. Republican Sen.-elect Bob Marshall, of Fort Scott, defeated Democrat Patty Horgan, of Pittsburg, by about 300 votes in Crawford County. Marshall’s victory is the first time since 1984 that Democrats have not controlled the 13th District Senate seat. The district takes in Crawford and Bourbon counties, and part of Cherokee County. If Gayoso prevails in the race for county attorney, it would mark the first time since at least 1996 that a Republican has newly captured a significant county office. County Commissioner Bob Kmiec of the 1st District is the only Republican holding an elected office in Crawford County. He has been a commissioner since 1999. Democratic and Republican party organizers and candidates have differing opinions about the outcomes, but most agreed on three factors making the difference: Statewide organizers for the Democratic Party clashed with the local machine; Crawford County Republicans mobilized more effectively than Democrats; and there was a fallout effect from the retirement of state Sen. Jim Barone, of Frontenac, a controversial Democrat. ‘Wrong formula’ Democrats thought they would get a boost when paid organizers from Topeka were sent to Crawford County to help get out the vote. But Bradrick, the county Democratic chairwoman, said a lack of coordination between state and local campaigners caused friction between them and left Gutierrez out in the cold. “The state party sent in three people who aren’t even local to run the coordinated campaign,” she said. “They made promises to us they did not keep.” Bradrick said those promises included delivering literature for all candidates to homes in Crawford County, something she said did not happen for Gutierrez. Gutierrez said that about three weeks before the election, he went to local party headquarters to see if he needed additional fliers, only to find a box of 1,000 pieces of his literature unopened and tucked behind a sofa. 
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