Updated: Baldwin calls for smooth transition

Written by Donald Eng
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 13:13

Gathered in the basement of a local law office, Trumbull Democrats had a sense that things would not be going their way Tuesday night. Party members, who had enjoyed resounding victories in the last four elections, were pensive.

Shortly after the polls closed, Democratic Chairman Nancy DiNardo said the results were too close to call.

“Turnout was very high, but that could go either way,” she said.

School Board Chairman Steve Wright, who managed Ray Baldwin’s campaign for a fifth term in office, was scanning the walls of Democratic headquarters, searching the voter registration lists for clues to the results.

“We made calls continually throughout the day,” he said. Volunteers had crossed off the names of those who had voted. If the voter told the caller who they had supported, that was indicated by different colored markings.

Wright said he had calculated numerous scenarios and had benchmarks in mind for how many votes it would take to win. When asked if the Democratic candidates had reached the numbers he thought they would need, he nodded, then shrugged.

“You can never tell for sure,” he said. “Sometimes people change their mind, or they tell you they’re going to vote to get you off the phone.”

At 8:15 p.m., 15 minutes after polls closed, the first results of the evening showed Baldwin losing District 7. A low murmur swept through the room. When the third and fifth districts also showed solid wins for Republican Tim Herbst, the Democratic supporters fell silent.

By 8:30, with five of seven districts counted, the only suspense was whether Republicans would sweep to victory in every Town Council and underticket race.

They did.

‘We accomplished a lot’

As the final numbers went up on the results wall, Baldwin tried to put the best face on an electoral disaster.

“It’s not a wake,” he said. “Nobody’s dead.”

Baldwin told the somber crowd that one election result couldn’t undo eight years of achievement.

“We have an eight-year record to be proud of,” he said. “We accomplished a lot.”

But the accomplishment came at a cost, and part of the cost was reflected in a proposed 11.6% tax increase Baldwin submitted in 2007. Though the finance board eventually pared the number down to 7.4%, the damage was done. Republicans never forgot the original proposal and never missed an opportunity to remind the voters.

Baldwin himself conceded during the campaign that the proposal had been a mistake and had shown an uncharacteristic lack of leadership that voters never forgave. Poll results showed that taxes topped the list of concerns for voters across town, dwarfing school and public safety concerns.

“With the economy the way it is, even right now, it’s a very difficult time to be an incumbent,” Baldwin said. “And having that issue from two years ago made a difference.”

DiNardo agreed that Tuesday’s election had been lost when the 2007 budget proposal became a political talking point. Despite several Republican missteps during the campaign, the 11.6% number was simply too much to overcome, she said.

But the results made it hard to pin down one specific issue as the cause, Baldwin said.

“Look at those results,” he said pointing to the numbers on the wall. “That’s not a single issue. That’s a tsunami.”

With the election over, Baldwin said his top priority was making the transition as smooth as possible.

“I wish Tim well, I hope he governs well,” Baldwin said. “The one last thing I would like to see is for all the outgoing elected officials to continue to carry yourselves like the class people you are. Let’s make this transition something we can be proud of.”