Elections Matter

Nikki Haley, one of Sarah Palin's "Mamma Grizzly(s)" won her election to be governor of North Carolina.  This election is striking for what it says about the quality of candidates for public office which I believe would not have been electable in prior years.  Not that this new trend of looking past what in prior election cycles would have been disqualifiers--it will be interesting to see if voters will be happy with these new faces over the long haul.  I mean, clearly the romance with Barack Obama, thudded to a stop in short order--what about the Tea Party new faces?

This is from the Ames Alexander's Charlotte Observer's account of the election of Nikki Haley:

"Nikki Haley, the tea party favorite who overcame controversy and rose to national prominence this year, was elected South Carolina's first female governor Tuesday.  With more than 90 percent of precincts reporting, the rising Republican star had collected 52 percent of the vote. Democratic state senator Vincent Sheheen had 46 percent, according to the New York Times. Sheheen congratulated Haley Tuesday night, saying the race had been 'oh, oh, so close.'

In a state that has elected only white males to the Governor's Mansion, the former state lawmaker's election is historic.  Haley, the daughter of Sikh immigrants, will be the state's first nonwhite governor - and the nation's second Indian-American governor [ . . . ]

Polls showed that Haley had lost some of her edge during the final weeks of her campaign. But running in a conservative state during a difficult year for Democrats, Sheheen faced an uphill fight.  Haley will succeed Mark Sanford, a Republican whose final 18 months in office were marred by revelations of an affair with an Argentine woman and the breakup of his marriage.

Haley has championed causes popular with the tea party movement. She has vowed to fight the federal health care reform law and has said she would advocate an immigration law similar to the one in Arizona that was struck down by a federal judge.

She has also proposed eliminating South Carolina's corporate income tax and taking other steps to make the state more friendly to business.  She advocates privatizing some government functions such as public school transportation. She also wants corporations to help struggling libraries.

Her campaign successfully fought off potentially damaging allegations.[:]

Two men have said they had extramarital affairs with her - claims she has denied.

Records show that Haley, a 38-year-old former clothing store owner, has been repeatedly late paying her income taxes since 2003. She and her husband have paid more than $4,000 in fines.

Sheheen, a Camden attorney who has served for 10 years in the S.C. General Assembly, has contended that Haley accomplished little in the legislature. During her six years in the state House, Haley was able to pass one bill: It allowed unlicensed people in beauty shops to shampoo hair."
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In OurState a common pleas Judge ensnared in an OurCounty scandal and under federal indictment narrowly lost her reelection bid.  The county government Commissioner system which was wholly-owned by one political party, many of whom are now convicted felons--was transformed by disgusted voters in elections last year.   Last night the irate local voters then rewarded the same old political party with the lion's share of the new elected positions.  Huh? 

In the rest of OurState, almost all other elected positions including all of the OurState Supreme Court are now in the hands of the other political party, the party that receives its financial support from the Chambers of Commerce, corporations, and Fox News. 

Yes, in OurState the elites are dead, long live the elites!