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| 12/26/2008 11:08:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Democratic candidate for State Rep. District 52 Diana Maldonado celebrated her lead after receiving early voting results at the Williamson County Democratic Party’s Election Night festivities in Round Rock. Maldonado went on to beat Republican Bryan Daniel of Georgetown. |
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Election brings transition locally
After years in political exile Williamson County Democrats made electoral inroads in 2008, with Diana Maldonado elected District 52 state Representative.
The former Round Rock ISD trustee takes her place in the Texas State Legislature next month, succeeding Republican Mike Krusee, who decided in late 2007 not to run for a ninth two-year term of office.
Maldonado - who'd been a school board member since 2003 - defeated Georgetown Republican Bryan Daniel by just 848 votes, out of more than 40,000 cast in the race.
Williamson County Precinct 1 Commissioner Lisa Birkman of Brushy Creek faced an even tighter challenge than Maldonado.
The Commissioner Court's senior member, Republican Birkman survived a primary challenge from within her own party and then won her second four-year term over Round Rock Democrat Mike Grimes.
With more than 28,000 votes cast in the race, Birkman received 14,356 votes (50.5 percent) to 14,070 votes (49.5 percent) for Grimes.
Birkman said she's used to close elections, noting she beat former Round Rock Mayor Charlie Culpepper by even fewer votes (in a Republican primary) when she was initially elected to the court.
Even though Grimes came up short - and Greg Windham got swamped by Valerie Covey in the Georgetown-dominated Pct. 3 race - Democrats were buoyed by Grimes' effort.
He came close, they said, and no Democrat has served on the Commissioners Court since the late Jerry Mehevec, of Taylor, stepped down after completing his last term in 1998.
Several days after the election and after crunching the numbers, Birkman noted that Democratic President-elect Barack Obama actually carried Pct. 1.
Many observers credited the "Obama effect," as it has sometimes been called, with the heavy voter turnout in Williamson County and nationwide.
According to Williamson County's Election Administration office, 158,988 of the county's 232,494 registered voters cast ballots. That's a record for raw numbers and officials believe the 68 percent turnout countywide could be a record as well.
Although Democrats and Independents turned out for Obama, the Republican Party retained its solid lock on county government, defeating Democratic and Libertarian candidates in locally-contested races.
Going against the national grain, Republican John McCain won 55 percent of the presidential vote in Williamson County.
As usual Republicans enjoyed a substantial straight-ticket voting advantage - 46,409 to 30,351 - over Democrats.
- Brad Stutzman
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