Progressive Politics Surge

Former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill once said "All politics is local."  That phrase was never more true than in this past off year election across the country.  Bill Moyers has a great story on just what happened in fifteen political races across the country called "15 Under-the-Radar Progressive Wins of Election 2013".

What is even more amazing is what is reported by readers of the post in the comment sections.  In addition to Bill's piece we have these progressive wins as posted by his readers:

1.  Cape Coral, the 3rd largest city geographically in the state of Florida, flipped from GOP to DEM by voting in Marni Sawicki... the first female mayor in Cape Coral's history!

2.  NJ voted yes to increase minimum wage to $8.25 ( from $7.25)

3.   Barnstable, MA, became the 15th and final Cape Cod town to vote overwhelmingly to shut down the Pilgrim Nuclear Power plant in Plymouth.

4.   Sunnyvale, CA's Measure C - Strict gun control. Passed 66% to 34%.

5.   Florida's fourth largest city, St Petersburg, flipped from GOP to Democrat.

6.   City of Poughkeepsie, NY - seven Democrats and one Republican on the City Common Council now.

7.   In Houston, TX, Mayor Parker was re-elected for a third term as mayor. She and her partner were out long before she first ran for mayor.

8.   Three reasonable candidates were elected to the school board over three Republican-backed "reform" candidates in heavily conservative Grand Junction, Colo.

9.  Ed Murray, Seattle, WA new Mayor.

10.  Rochester, NY, home to Susan B Anthony and Frederick Douglass, elected their first female mayor and the 2nd African American.

11.  Greensboro, NC outed its one term Republican Mayor Robbie Perkins for Nancy Vaughn a Democrat.

12.   Progressive Democrat Andy Ball won the Boone, NC Mayors seat by a landslide in a four way race.  1066 votes for Ball to 502 votes for an Independent, 150 votes for the Republican, and 113 votes for a write in.

13.  Along with the Governors office in Virginia, they also elected a Democrat Lt. Governor, Ralph Northam that happens to be and MD.

14.  Minneapolis City Council: First Hispanic, First Somalian, First Hmong voted in. Seven seats turned over. Six incumbents returned. New Mayor, a Democrat and a woman.

Change is happening and it is all local to begin with.  Comment away if you want to add election results in your area.

Papamoka