So...the Butler County Republican Party chose Mary Swain to be the next Clerk of Courts by a mere ten votes.
First of all, congrats to Mary..
But, what does all of this really mean?
On one hand, I hope that this means we have moved the ball a little farther down the field when it comes to the elimination of nepotism. Here is how I define it: "favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those with power or influence." And Butler County has been lousy with it.
Granted, an argument could be said that Mary Swain has her own close friends in power that helped her pull it out, but I think that Wyrick's usage of the office and title demonstrated the sort of role nepotism has been playing in our county far more than Swain's campaign did.
But the real scre, for me, is just how close this vote was. This shows that the real power in the party still rests with the Central Committee and that in order for the powers that be to continue their nonsense, they will still have to secure the favor of a majority of that group. There is still great hope that real reform can come to Butler County without throwing away the Republican stronghold that so many has struggled to build and maintain here.
We still have a LONG way to go...but this feels like a win to me.
