CONGRATULATIONS DAVID BOWERS!!!!

I endorsed David Bowers as an Independent a few months ago even though he was challenging the incumbent Democratic Mayor of Roanoke.  I'm thrilled (and also kind of shocked) to report he won tonight!!!!

Congratulations Mayor-Elect Bowers!!!  Now please do something about Delegate Onzlee Ware.

Comments

[Cecilia]

Interesting new twist for Roanoke City Council ... will Councilman Nash resign as HUD refused the exemption and then what? Look for Nash's answer and Roanoke Times article tomorrow.

http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=8280888

[The Mind]

Blue Balls... er, Blue Weeds reports that the pricks from the CBC took 2 of 3 City Council seats in Falls Church.

WTF Ben? Wht taint you on top o dis?

Sheeeit

[Interested Observer]

You know, someone else won last night as well. Big. Looks like we have a nominee...

Looks like Clinton needs a math lesson and a come to Jesus moment..

[Ghost of Alexander Hamilton]

What has Delegate Ware done to deserve your wrath, Ben?

[Not Larry Sabato]

I don't like how Onzlee tried to throw everyone out of the party in Roanoke that he couldn't control. That's not the kind of leadership the party needs.

I'm sorry but anyone celebrating Bowers' win in Roanoke simply doesn't understand Roanoke. Anyone whose entire campaign is "don't change our failing schools" "don't fix our failing business environment" and "bury your head in the sand about out problems" is hard to get excited about.

The real question is how can the local Democratic Party, in essentially a single party jurisdiction, lose at the top of the ticket so badly? Today is a bad day for Roanoke, especially for the business community, young people and the school system.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Bowers, with projects like the Hotel Roanoke had the right idea as Mayor. Trying to turn the City into generic sprawl by ignoring its history is not the way to go. I think he can turn that City around.

[Ghost of Alexander Hamilton]

The elction of Bowers is a disaster for Roanoke. They are trying hard to supplant Richmond for the city with the most clownish council. The only good news was that Brian Wishniff was finally retired.

Ben

If you think Bowers will have any control over this Council you're crazy. Every single other Council member is on the record as anti-Bowers. He is hated by Rosen, Lea, Price, Trinkle and Mason. Once Nash's seat is filled the numbers will be even worse for him. I spoke to a LONGTIME Roanoke political insider this morning who told me this is the first time in about 100 years a Mayor will be in the minority. Things are about to get really ugly in Roanoke. By the way, your pointing to the Hotel Roanoke as Bowers' lone achievement is comical in a way only a Roanoker could get.

[Zak Moore]

I don't know how long that insider has been around. When he was Mayor, Ralph Smith was a minority of one. It doesn't get much more lonely than that. Bowers may do just a bit better!

roanokeredzone.blogspot.com

Should've been more clear. Everyone is well aware of the Ralph Smith disaster but there was even an attempt to build consensus during those years. The city officials, Attorney, Manager, etc. simply bypassed him and went straight to the Council. That won't be the case here and it'll be ugly.

[Cecilia]

Ben is exactly right about Onzlee Ware. Though I don't agree with Bowers especially on the schools he will have a tough time. You cannot dispute that Roanoke wanted Harris out. They will regret their Rosen vote.

[Not Valerie Garner]

12:35 is right. David's also gonna try to use the shit that Nelson brought to the table, which he'd railed against in his campaign (like all those secret meetings). Throw in David's LEGENDARY temper tantrums and Roanoke City Council meetings will make WWE look like a meditation session.

Roanokers wants Nelson Harris out and voted for David because they at least knew what to expect from him.

Interesting tidbit on the anti-Rosen ad:
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/160949

"The way Wishneff tells it, the ad was first placed in The Roanoke Times by Suzanne Osborne, who is associated with Citizens for Sensible Decisions. When questions came up about its content, the newspaper sales representative -- who Wishneff declined to name -- called him after he could not reach Osborne."

By "questions...about its content," they're referring to the spelling and grammar. In Wishneff's case, there are dyslexic 4-year-olds with better spelling and grammar.

Bowers didn't have a damned thing to do with the Hotel Roanoke and Convention Center That was the business community, Va. Tech, the legislative delegation and Councilman Jimmy Harvey !

Bowers "self destructed" and got beat by Ralph Smith who only had 36% of the vote in 2000. The same thing will happen again--Bowers just can't control himself. He's already started to attack the School Board--making war on children's education? Not smart, but standard Dave Bowers

WTF??? Onzlee Ware has NOT tried to throw anyone out of the Democratic Party! The opposite is true.

Bowers and his cronies had tried to expell some members of the Roanoke Democratic Committee in2006 and 2007. When time came to reorganize, good Democrats came back in and elected some people who wanted to make the party effective.

Bowers and his gang just lost in that effort. No one was expelled and no attempt was made to expell anyone.

The attempted espelling had been done by Bowers allies.

But hey we know what the score is...some of you just can't stand the idea of an African American like Onzlee Ware who thinks for himself and doesn't kow tow to you guys. We can recognize racism when we see it.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Actually- they threw Bowers MOTHER (in her 80s) off the committee to get at him when he won his precinct election.

Pathetic.

"They" didn't exactly throw Mary off the committee as part of some grand scheme. Mary's from a precinct where a lot of the people who wanted people like David off of the committee live.

David's precinct isn't quite as easy to whip as many votes against him. There just aren't as many people who give a shit one way or another in that precinct.

04:47 is right on just about every point. I don't happen to buy that last point, though. I think it's a bit more complicated.

No one was "thrown off the committee." This was the reorganization required by the Virginia Democratic Party Plan.

Everyone had to seek election and Mrs. Bowers did not receive sufficient votes in her precinct. Last time I looked, democracy required that to win one must receive more votes that one's opponent. Tell me NLS, have you changed the rules and failed to tell us poor benighted savages? Does majority no longer rule under your decree? Must we get your permission to reorganize in Roanoke --clearly an area you know nothing about?

NLS knows what is going on ... the truth hurts?

Aw NLS is just a little racist NOVA dweeb who doesn't know jack.

I bet he even says Appa'LAY'chan!

Calling someone a racist, 8:52? Careful...there are people who LOVE David who'd have a problem with someone taking over THEIR jobs in that area.