"Despite deep divisions on both political party tickets over the wisdom of building the parkway, voters in the city decided to stick with the party in power by a margin that surprised observers in both parties" (Bob Gibson, The Daily Progress, May 3, 2000).

"Republican disarray in the council campaign proved larger than Democratic disorder" (Bob Gibson, The Daily Progress, May 3, 2000).

"Internal divisions within the Democratic ticket early in the campaign did not change the outcome. The Democrats waged a hard-fought nomination battle in which Cox and Lynch, who are members of the newly formed Democrats for Change faction of the party, often criticized Richards' decisions on the council."

(left to right) Alvin Edwards, Meredith Richards, Kevin Lynch

"Democratic Party Chairman Alvin Edwards alluded to the Democratic slate's overcoming the turbulent early days. 'No matter how you start, it's how you finish,' Edwards said at the post-election party at the Democratic headquarters on Fourth Street Northeast."

"'No matter how we started, that's an old dead dog, and you can let it stay dead,' he told the crowd of about 70 people."

Maurice Cox

"Moments later, [Maurice] Cox entered the building to loud cheers. The re-elected councilor embraced Lynch, gave him a high-five, then hugged Richards."

"Richards said she looked forward to 'an interesting four years of finding our way.' She said that her running mates share her love of the city, though they sometimes 'look in different directions'" (Davide Dukcevich, The Daily Progress, May 3, 2000).

"'The Democrats did a better job of pulling together and the Republicans didn't even make much of a pretense,' said Lloyd Snook, a Democratic activist."

"Republican Party leaders agreed that their party's differences were harder to patch."

"Michael Crafaik, city GOP chairman, said his own party's slate of candidates 'disinvited me' from their post-election party at Lord Hardwicke's restaurant Tuesday night. 'I think that's pretty incredible asking the chairman not to come,' he said. 'I was a bit miffed'" (Davide Dukcevich, The Daily Progress, May 3, 2000).

In a recent interview with Coy Barefoot in the April 11th C-Ville Weekly, Crafaik said that he was not encouraged by the degree of conservatism in his party's slate. "'Not one of our candidates are even members of the City [Republican] Party,' Crafaik said flatly. 'So it's hard to tell how committed they are to our issues.'"

"We put the Council Watch investigators to work on that one. Elizabeth Fortune, though she considers herself an Independent who leans right, was not a member of the Party until she became a candidate. Fortune told us it was her work in the Junior League that had prevented her from joining a party until now-- though she was a closet Republican all along. (Republican women in the Junior League? Imagine that.)"

"But Junior League Executive Director Jane Helfrich in Richmond says that no volunteer who works with the League is or can be prevented in any way from joining a political party."

"Jon Bright, a proud supporter of Paul Harris and George Allen, asserts that he has been an active, dues-paying member of the City Republican Party for five years. 'I don't know what [Crafaik] is talking about,' he sighed.

"Republican candidate John Pfaltz admits that he is not a member of the party he represents. The pro-business candidate adds that moderates on the right are the key to a conservative win-- that ultra-conservatives 'don't stand a chance' to get elected in the Donk haven that is Charlottesville" (Hawes Spencer, electronic mail, May 1, 2000).

"Dale McGlothlin, the former city GOP chairman who ran the campaigns of Republicans Bright, Elizabeth Fortune and John Pfaltz, said his party's disarray did hurt the ticket."

"'Perhaps the Democrats for Change captured the momentum for leading the charge for change after our fiasco,' said McGlothlin, referring to an assault charge that Crafaik swore out against him in March. The large Democrats for Change faction that helped nominate Maurice Cox and Lynch energized the majority party."

"'I think [the Democrats for Change] played a huge part,' said John McCutcheon, a Democratic stalwart. 'It opened up the door for people who felt there wasn't a progressive enough agenda in the city'" (Bob Gibson, The Daily Progress, May 3, 2000).

Kevin Cox

"Party activists in both parties said that independent Kevin Cox captured more support from GOP-leaning voters Tuesday than he took away from Democrats. Both Crafaik and McGlothlin said they had asked Kevin Cox to run as a Republican, but they said that he felt he was a true independent."

"[Kevin] Cox captured 740 votes, just 37 fewer than the margin by which Lynch defeated Bright" (Bob Gibson, The Daily Progress, May 2, 2000).

"Delegate Mitchell Van Yahres, D-Charlottesville, said the major issue in the race was that a majority of Democrats, independents and people who care little about politics think 'the city is well run.'"

"'Party politics is no longer a viable presence,' Van Yahres said. 'We know that people are not joining parties. Most everybody is independent now'" (Bob Gibson, The Daily Progress, May 3, 2000).

"Lynch and Cox said the Danielson contribution helped energize some Democrats."

"'I think it got a few people out who were just incensed,' Cox said. 'It really made it clear that there is a 'them' and an 'us' and we are the majority and the big money muscle just doesn't work when you've got grassroots.'"

"Danielson called Tuesday's election results 'sad, kind of more of the same.'"

"The Albemarle County resident, speaking from California while on vacation, defended the PACs participation in the campaign."

"'At least we put our money where our mouths are and we ran a positive campaign,' Danielson said. 'I think they gave a very positive attitude about what needed to be done, never said anything negative about anybody. Clearly, there is no Republican Party in the city.'"

"Danielson said his group feels it has 'no representation in the city'" (Bob Gibson, The Daily Progress, May 3, 2000).

There are a million stories in the naked city and this is but one. If you have comments about the meaning of the recent Charlottesville City Council election for the respective political parties or for the community at large, please send them to george@loper.org and the most representative will be posted with full attribution.

To date, I have received comments from Will Lyster.