(Nice results – promoted by blogswarm)

I was the convenor for the 42nd Assembly District.  Check in actually went very smoothly and ballot counts matched up.  Assemblyman Mike Feuer spoke and answered questions before the crowd of 214 voters, 100 more than in 2005.

The Progressive Slate won 11 of 12 seats, but don’t let those results fool you. 

But while high profile and positive message candidates such as our own Dante Atkins (Hekebolos) and Brad Parker won handily, the difference between the bottom two of the Progressive Slate and the Progressive Action Coalition was less than 10 votes.
More in the extended…

If 10 more people had voted for the Progresive Action Coalition candidates, there would be two different men and two different women delegates.

I even lost my E-Board race by a mere 11 votes.

I have to respect the Progressive Slate in the 42nd for organizing well and they deserve props for that.  Brad Parker, Dante Atkins, Ricco Ross and many others were very positive in their message and vision and I hope we get to see more of them in the future.

The energy is coming from the Netroots these days and it showed as turnout between Dem Clubs and Netroots were nearly even (I hope I get to see each of these people in a campaign office in ’08).

Far more dissapointing were the personal attacks and distortions by certain members of the Progressive Slate.  Several of the other members of the Progressive Slate voiced their personal distaste for the attacks.

It got so bad that I had to take a point of Personal Privilege to respond to some very baseless accusations about my personal character.

My position on Prop. 89 was also distorted, but then again, it shows that they are learning how politics really works.

So what’s next for the winners?  I can only hope that their activism will match the incredible enthusiasm these people have.

In 2006 we did not see many of them in our local campaign offices, and that is where they need to be if they really want to make a change.  The Party does not make policy, the candidates do, and as activists we need to do more get out and take the time to help those candidates that believe as we do.

I’m appointed to Central Committee so I will very much look forward to working with each of them in the future.

It was a great race and alot of fun to put together.