This wasn't a surprise.  Each vote count increased Democrat Pat O'Neill's lead, even though, as in the primary, the late-arriving votes trended Republican.

Canvassing was certainly a factor in this race, but Obama wasn't.  I don't want to pick on Jerry Finch as he is a friend, but these are important, real world lessons for any Republican officeholder or potential candidate in Whitman County to learn. 

1.  You cannot rest on your laurels and take for granted that you can win without doorbelling, phone banking, get out the vote, or any of the other unglamorous grunt work involved in campaigning  The Democrats in this county are Avis.  They try harder (up to and beyond the legal limits apparently.)

2.  If you break with the majority of your party, be prepared to face the consequences.  Jerry's loss was completely attributable to Republicans in rural Whitman County either not voting or voting against him.  The Obama wave, student voters, and the Democrats had very little to do with it, even though those excuses make the defeat easier for Finch and some Republicans to swallow.  

I'm referring to Jerry's support of the rural residential housing ordinance, which restricted hilltop development in the county (Finch's radio ads about the ordinance were the equivalent of waving a red flag before a bull; I would have definitely avdised Jerry not to remind voters about it).  I know Jerry felt very strongly about this issue, and he is to be commended for having the guts to take an unpopular stand on a controversial issue, but it likely cost him his job (the Hawkins development is too complex of an issue to have had much effect outside the PARD types.)  Before Mr. O'Neill supports additional legislation preserving "scenic beauty," he'd do well to keep this in mind if he doesn't want to be a one-term commissioner. 

I'll be presenting the numbers to support my contention soon.

From yesterday's Whitman County Gazette:

Two-term incumbent County Commissioner Jerry Finch, R-Pullman, Monday afternoon conceded his re-election campaign against challenger Pat O'Neill, D-Johnson.

The county elections office counted about 2,000 more ballots Tuesday.

The recount increased O'Neill's lead in the race for the District 2 county commissioner seat to 586 votes. O'Neill led Finch by 408 votes after the election night count.

"I just want to thank everyone who voted for me to be your county commissioner," O'Neill said Tuesday.

"I'm a political realist. I know it would take a miracle for me to come back," Finch said Monday. "I'm disappointed, but I also know politics is a temporary job appointment."

Monday's count brought the county's vote total to 15,798, up from the election night count of 10,237. The total represents a 78.5 percent return on the 20,134 ballots mailed out to registered voters.

Elections Supervisor Debbie Hooper said approximately 600 ballots still left to be counted are provisionals which are cast on election day by voters who are unsure of their registration status.

In addition, the county has 400 ballots which failed to go through the counting machines. Those ballots have to be checked for faults such as duplicate markings.

O'Neill said he has some plans after he takes office in January, but first he has to become accustomed to the demands of his new job.

"Well, I first have to get in and get my feet wet," said O'Neill. "But cooperation is really going to be the key right now, and I'm looking very much forward to working with everyone in the courthouse."

Finch credited O'Neill's victory to a steady campaign of ringing doorbells, but added O'Neill benefited from this year's election trend toward Democratic candidates.

"The man worked hard, to his credit. He out-hustled me," said Finch. "I think Mr. O'Neill owes a lot of his victory to Barack Obama. I don't think they voted against me. I think they voted for a Democrat."

"You've just got to talk to people," O'Neill said of his campaign efforts.

"But this office really shouldn't be partisan. And I plan fully to work across party lines to get things done."

I have never met Mr. O'Neill, but from what I have heard, this will be an interesting four years at the courthouse. And I'll be there reporting on it all.