Delaware County Democrats have the numbers, they just don't have the votes.
For the first time in history, Dems in these parts marched to the polls on Tuesday knowing there were more registered Democrats in the county than Republicans.
Didn't much matter. Republicans did what they always do in county-wide races in Delaware County. They rolled to victory. Republicans took all seven countywide races on the ballot, including the two seats on County Council, two seats on the bench for the Court of Common Pleas, and the three row offices - sheriff, register of wills and controller.
But what was interesting was the margins. These weren't the blowouts the GOP always used to be able to count on. Instead, Democrats made respectable showings in all of these races.
It didn't help that only about 26 percent of those eligible decided to take part in the off-year election. We take care of that in today's editorial. That makes the race dependent on who can get out their base, and that's where the Delco GOP has a big edge.
So what do the Democrats need to do to break into the win column.
Well, they might want to steal a page from the GOP playbook.
In other words, they need a high-profile woman on their ticket.
Women put up by the GOP have traditionally been the top vote-getters. This year was no different. Mary McFall Hopper, the longtime council member from Ridley Park, topped all candidates by collecting 55,809 votes.
The Democrats did have two women no their ticket, but County Council candidate Pat Worrell and judicial hopeful Nancy Walker were pretty much unknowns.
Walker does get props for being the top Dem, with 45,862, just edging out longtime Media stalwart Frank Daly, who got the backing of 45,523 voters.
Are you listening, David Landau?
You need a strong female voice at the top of your ticket? Someone whose known around the county. Yeah, I know, there's not a lot of them around.
But that could be the key that unlocks the fortress known as the Media Courthouse.
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