The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Wednesday, June 09, 2004  

THE FIRE NEXT TIME
Results From Maine

It was not to be.

By a narrow margin -- 307 to 269 -- Democrats in the 116th House district in Portland, Maine, yesterday chose former city councilor and mayor Charles Harlow over newcomer and blogger Mary Beth Williams.

Isn’t Maine cute? Did you sum up that tally? It was 307 to 269, at least according to one source today. That makes 579 voters. Now, I know for a fact Williams herself personally paid calls on (i.e., visited, trekked about, knocked on doors) more than 1,000 homes in the district. It wasn’t for lack of trying.

(There’s a certain irony in Williams’s worn shoe leather. Back in the day when Americans were employed in the act of making things, Maine was a leader in the manufacture of shoes.)

Disappointed? Yes.

Proud? Oh yeah.

Will she be back? Let’s hope so.

(See M.B.’s post-mortem here.)

[Post-publication addendum: M.B. tells me the final tally was 317 to 289, a margin of just 28 votes. And she relates that the Green Party wants to draft her for the November election. Run, Mary Beth, run!]

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