OK, so it’s a budget committee position in the ‘Grok hometown, and the elections are "non-partisan," but still– let me repeat:
A conservative Republican has won a seat in Central NH.
As Tip O’Neill famously said, "all politics is local," and what happens in our happy little hamlet is simply a microcosm of the state or country at-large. Fellow ‘Grokster Skip Murphy has served on the Gilford Municipal Budget Committee for the past three years (I have served with him for the last two). During that time, we started this blog, shortly followed by the baby ‘Grok focusing on local politics– GilfordGrok. Along the way, Skip and I have managed to stir up more than one tempest either because of something written on the blog, or because of a tough stand taken without wavering in the face of withering criticism from mostly special interest groups that happen to exist with the Town.
Yesterday at the polls, after having been reprimanded by a local wag and called a hypocrite for supposedly flip-flopping on a vote that my accuser in fact was incorrect with his info, he angrily pointed at Skip and said, "He’s gone. Today, he’ll be voted out. Next year," he said (pointing to me), "You’ll be gone, too." Guess what? He was wrong– at least with regards to Skip, who garnered a mere six votes less than the top vote getter (the contest featured seven people vying for three seats)– a seven year incumbent and presently the popular chairman of the committee.
Congratulations to Skip are in order. He’s been reviled, attacked, and called out for some of his viewpoints, votes, and frank observations. Through it all, Skip never apologized for stating his beliefs, was able to back up his positions with reasoned fact, and never ran from his conservative principles. Let this be a lesson to conservatives up the line. Voters don’t need to be pandered to. Conservatives don’t need to pretend to be somebody they’re not– all they have to be is, well, themselves. And persist. In the end, many times the voters will do the right thing when presented with real, clear choices. Especially conservative ones…