Senator's Selects 2025/11/19
Banged Up But Not Broken
From the Desk of…
I knew things were going to be interesting around the middle of Election Day. Someone (who is very likely reading this, I might add) sent me an analysis of the available data, and they were saying it was close. As I reminded several people that day, we had a mantra back in 2015: “never hope.” Now, I concede that’s not exactly a cheery sentiment, but it was something that kept us tethered in a world where it’s easy to get lost in possibilities and what-ifs. When people let themselves get unmoored from the reality of the work, they can find themselves daydreaming about the day the work is finished rather than working towards that day, and if people don’t work towards that day, that day will never come.
So, let’s talk about some pleasant surprises I had. As you know, in 2021 the City of New York first used its new ranked-choice voting system instead of the old plurality model. A lot of work went into educating voters, and many organizations weren’t yet in a position to really understand how to endorse. Hell, many campaigns weren’t yet in a position to really understand how to run. You may recall the name Maya Wiley, who had an admirable showing in the primaries. That admirable showing was still a loss, and it stung. Campaigns, organizations, and organizers had been too fractured in the run-up, and Eric Adams took the crown. What it was, however, was illustrative of a way to move forward. As I reminded that mid-day texter at the Election Night party, a lot of good data was just generated, regardless of the day’s outcome. That’s a window for how to move forward, and we have to keep moving forward. I won’t waste your time spilling digital ink about Mamdani; you’ve already read it all if you’re at all interested. What I found most interesting was the ability for the campaign to work alongside the Lander campaign during the primary, building a relational synergy that proved dynamic and paid dividends. Perhaps there are more flies to be caught with honey than with vinegar! Perhaps!
It goes without saying though that Mamdani’s win would not have come about if the city charter had not been amended in 2019 to allow for ranked-choice voting. The gains were not realized that day, or the next day, or even in the next election. The day did come, however. That’s why State Senator Bill DeMora (D-Columbus), with whom I believe I last argued at a caucus about how heads should be counted, made sure to co-sponsor a bill that would effectively ban ranked-choice voting in the state of Ohio by withholding state funding for any locality that adopts it.
“It doesn’t outlaw them, it doesn’t say they can’t do it. It just withholds state funds for those that do it,” [DeMora] said. “May sound harsh, but it’s necessary. Ranked choice voting is expensive, confusing, and time consuming.”
Bill knows which side butters his bread, and many of you have heard me say it before: power always protects power. After all, ranked-choice voting could prove disruptive to the important work he’s doing at the statehouse like trying to prevent people from flipping bourbon.
So, let’s check on how the Your Endorsed Senator Meow Candidates performed, shall we? In Canal Winchester, and city council member-elect Hanna Detwiler eked out a win by a slim 183 votes, so that’s exciting. In Upper Arlington, city council member-elect Laura Oldham cruised into an easy victory. Laura, I know you’re likely to read this, so know that I never doubted! I also have some ideas for you… In Grove City, however, Joel Newby was about 1,000 votes shy of a victory for the at-large city council seat. Looking to the schools, for South-Western Board of Education, Chris Boso’s Bozo Brigade was ousted by endorsed candidates Camille Peterson, Chelsea Alkire, and Kelly Dillon. I can only hope they bring in a time of civility and transparency and decision-making with the students and staff in mind. Meanwhile, here in Columbus, Dr. Antoinette Miranda easily lead the results, taking first place by almost 6,000 votes. Janeece Keyes and Mounir Lynch, however, missed the cutoff by a healthy 20,000 or so. You know, as a wise man once told me, it’s possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. Oh, and the issues did fine.
So, let’s talk about Columbus city council. It’s what you’re here for, isn’t it?
I decided I would take an extra week to consider my thoughts and words, rather than blast out an incoherent screed just for the sake of timeliness. As I referenced above, I did appear, albeit briefly, at the Vogel Election Night party. It was, I think, the first Election Night party I have been to since November 2019. I don’t make a habit of going to them. I can be depressed at my house for cheaper where I already have the drinks I like. The air was full of nervous tension as the returns came in, and for a brief glimmering moment, folks let themselves hope. Of course, you know by now that Tiara Ross ended up winning the election by 1,585 votes. Ultimately, it was the result many longtimers who in the room expected. Probably a fair deal of newtimers expected it as well. Those returns coming in? That didn’t give me hope. No, what gave me hope was the mood after Jesse came out to concede. Unlike some Election Night parties I’ve been to, it didn’t collapse into a weeping puddle like a noisome souffle after someone stomps through the kitchen. There were tears, sure, but there was also resolve. Grit. Determination. There was an acknowledgement that this was the closest we’ve all been yet. No walls may have been broken down, and no foundations may have been overturned, but I think everyone saw the crack. My sincere congratulations to Team Vogel for showing the possibilities of tomorrow and to Team Ross for winning the day.
Mamdani’s campaign was bold, innovative, and built on work that had been going on for years and years before it started. Vogel’s campaign and all who supported it would be wise to recognize that. As we move forward, we must look back and remember the work that has been done to get us to here. We all stand on the shoulders of giants. In the weeks since, several opinion pieces from as high up as the Columbus Dispatch’s own Editorial Board have excoriated the results as being a sham of democracy. "Columbus’ flawed district voting system failed voters. Their will was usurped.” reads the title of their first such piece. Its narrativizing of the system goes back to 2018, but long-time readers will know that starting the story there overlooks the work that Jon Beard and others put into it for years prior to that point. David Harewood, someone who was there to tell the story of that work, wrote for the Dispatch about it last week. Again, we all stand on the shoulders of giants, and I was glad I got to see Jon on Election Night.
Trevin Flickinger, who has actually managed to make the migration away from Substack to Buttondown to run Good Works Columbus there (here’s the latest if you don’t subscribe already!), did a whizbang job of pulling apart some of the data. I find this to be the most compelling of the visualizations.
What Trevin found was that, under a true ward system, Vogel would have won handily, 61.8% to 38.2%. That’s a far cry from the outcome voters got, Ross 50.7% to Vogel’s 49.3%. You can find more visualizations and methodology here on Trevin’s GitHub post about it. Of course, much of this history about the ward system and the racial redlining resonating today was covered by yours truly in this May issue, linked here for any new readers who missed the fun:
If you don’t want to read all that, you can at least read Michael Wilkos talk about it to WOSU. (Did I see you as a new subscriber, Michael? Hello, if so!) Now, if I were a savvy politician, particularly if I were angling to stake a claim in an upcoming mayoral race that could prove contentious, I might just make sure I know which way the wind is blowing. 50.7% isn’t quite the rest-on-your-laurels type win that I think many of our local politicians are accustomed to. Perhaps it would be wise to get out there early and make friends. Perhaps there are more flies to be caught with honey than with vinegar.
The Brain Dump
wearing some french crown jewels to the office tomorrow and refusing to answer questions about it
i think everything i have ever learned about a podcaster or streamer has been against my will
undercutting the 50-year mortgage by introducing to Congress my bill to guarantee housing from birth to death as long as they work on the house and my plot of land they occupy, the Sensible Economic Reform Fixer-upper Act
before I make any major decisions, I like to consult some imaginary people in my head who think I suck ass and consider what they would like
this is one of my more controversial opinions but i don’t think posting is organizing
Do You Want This?
Lots to look at in this auction, but he jumped out at me.
While the owner clearly had a thing for cookie jars (I did rather like the very ‘90s “Warner Brothers has figured out they can license anything” Looney Tunes pink Cadillac Marvin the Martian and Taz one), this is billed as a “Holiday Dog Clown” cookie jar. Now, something I didn’t realize is that there must’ve been a company just pulling nouns out of the dictionary to make cookie jars. Which exec, which marketing guru, was like “there is a market for French bulldogs dressed as holiday harlequins” and got this made? Further, what does it say about the person who bought it? What exactly did they see in this that spoke to them? Did they actually use it, or did it just sit there collecting only dust? Anyway, if you need something to store some cookies this holiday season, this is out in Lancaster… if you want it.
At the Movies
Was too busy in October to really enjoy anything, let alone movies. Of course, we’re now in the great embargo period where people don’t get to know what I’m watching. Maybe next week I’ll drop a Christmas Challenge hint for all those who dare attempt it! Frankenstein gets short-changed in my review because I have a lot of complex thoughts about it as both a Del Toro film and a Frankenstein film. Where it works as one, I tend to think it stops working as the other. Gosh if it ain’t a Netflix production though!
Frankenstein (2025), dir. Guillermo Del Toro ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ❤️
weirdly pro-acupuncture movie
yeah i cried
Predator: Badlands (2025), dir. Dan Trachtenberg ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ❤️
Yeah, I don’t think they got the ratios quite right. Strange mixture of tones. Don’t think they needed that much Weyland stuff. Reminded me at times of Army of Darkness and Walk Hard. Good designs throughout. Do they ship the robots with treachery modules or is that an add-on? Whatever, yapping Elle was a great Kazooie. I’ll keep drinking that garbage. Best Star Wars movie Disney’s made yet!
So, did the Yautja master ice-nine then?
Baby Face (1933), dir. Alfred E. Green ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ❤️
Okay, they were cooking with this one a bit. They should let me remake this... as an HBO series.
One Picture
I’m sorry. I just… like, I get the idea of Dubai chocolate, but you are never going to get me to say it looks good. I get that gas station efforts are going to look even worse, but this churns my stomach. Can’t wait to bring a case to Thanksgiving next week!
In closing,
As I already told several campaign staffers and activists, I can’t stand a Monday-morning quarterback. Any thoughts I have are immaterial to what happened, and I was in the stands for this one, not on the field. The indefatigable, indomitable, inimitable Eden McKissick-Hawley has already been making the moves and media hits. Frankly, I’m not even sure that she took a day before resuming the work. That dogged determination, that’s what we should all aspire toward. I suppose there’s an irony in this old cat telling folks to be more canine, but that’s the way she goes. Several years ago, someone asked me what about our current times gave me hope. I had no response. I now do. Thank you to everyone who worked to bring us here.
Until next time, try to recognize the wins, even if it’s a loss on the face of it. Today’s seeds are tomorrow’s fruits.
Banger baking metaphor