Well I can't say I saw this one coming.
For years, Delaware County Democrats whined about the all-powerful Delaware County Republican Party's hand-picked candidates ducking them when it came to debates.
The county Dems have been on the outside looking in when it comes to state government since the 1970s, when the county changed its Home Rule Charter, dumping the minority party representation on Council in favor of five members elected at large.
No Democrat has been elected or sat on Council since then.
Democrats have made a lot of progress across the county since. They actually now outnumber Republicans when it comes to voter registration, although GOP leader Andy Reilly is fond of reminding me that Republicans still routinely get more people to the polls.
That's one of the reasons the GOP has been able to keep its iron-clad on the Media Courthouse.
Dems have complained bitterly every time the county GOP took a pass on forums or debates what would put the candidates for office together on the same podium.
That's why I was somewhat stunned yesterday when we learned that the Democratic trio of candidates seeking the three seats up for grabs on County Council on the November ballot were backing out of a scheduled forum being put on by the League of Women Voters.
After the Dems indicated they were taking a powder on the forum, the League cancelled it.
You can get all the details here.
Remember this is the same group that saw their candidates knocked off the primary ballot because they failed to file their nominating petitions correctly.
The Dems complained bitterly back then that Republicans rigged the system against their candidates, although it apparently had not been a problem up to that point.
Successful write-in campaigns got all three Dems on fall ballot.
But they apparently don't want to appear on the same stage with their Republican foes.
My how times have changed.
Did I miss something? Has a Democrat been elected to County Council that I am not aware of?
Somewhere, someplace, I can hear our old friend Richie Ashburn muttering, "Hard to believe, Harry."
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