PEACE BREAKS OUT IN JEFFERSON

Under the unusual Jefferson County GOP rules, precinct and legislative caucuses were held today instead of next Saturday. Unlike in past years, the event was largely smooth and without controversey. Most of the turnout was amongst conservative activists who had been trying to get a substantial turnout for the last few weeks.

Perhaps most newsworthy was the election of Chris Thieneman, to chair a Legislative District putting him back on the county executive committee. He will join a combination of old and new faces there, but a group that is putting its differences behind, as most Republicans in the last few months here, have come to believe 2008 will be a good year for our several candidates; and a unified party will make that a reality.

It looks as if grass-roots activists who have been critical of the outgoing Jefferson Chairman won most districts and delegate slots, but a determined effort is underway to extend the olive branch to the former "ins" and find a place for many of them in the local party structure.

The county convention will be held two weeks hence, and this welcome outbreak of good sense can of course crumble, but so far the feeling is that things have changed much for the better.

Democrats hoping to capitalize on divisions in the Jefferson GOP may be out of luck this year, and have to rely on arguing the issues, like, I don't know- raising taxes, closing Marine recruiting stations, not coming up with the money for Ohio River bridges, etc. As I said, looks like a good year for Republicans around here in 2008.