A Look Back at Sandy Gordon vs Debbie Bush

The Race Crunched.

ED DEM DEM % REP REP % CON CON % WF WF % ICE ICE % Write-In Over Vote Blank Blank Percent Total Votes Sandy Total Bush Total Sandy % Sandy Net Votes
Berne 1 88 37.13% 89 37.55% 34 14.35% 6 2.53% 20 8.44% 0 0 10 4% 248 94 143 39% -49
Berne 2 210 52.11% 113 28.04% 41 10.17% 12 2.98% 27 6.70% 0 1 4 1% 409 222 181 55% 41
Knox 3 97 40.59% 79 33.05% 36 15.06% 15 6.28% 12 5.02% 4 0 9 4% 253 112 127 46% -15
Rensselaerville 1 87 43.28% 50 24.88% 35 17.41% 13 6.47% 16 7.96% 0 0 2 1% 204 100 101 50% -1
Rensselaerville 2 87 37.50% 61 26.29% 53 22.84% 10 4.31% 21 9.05% 0 1 16 6% 250 97 135 42% -38
Rensselaerville 3 162 43.55% 106 28.49% 63 16.94% 22 5.91% 19 5.11% 0 0 13 3% 386 184 188 49% -4
Westerlo 1 130 37.57% 131 37.86% 63 18.21% 7 2.02% 15 4.34% 0 0 14 4% 361 137 209 39% -72
Westerlo 2 183 56.48% 84 25.93% 29 8.95% 8 2.47% 20 6.17% 0 0 26 7% 351 191 133 59% 58
Westerlo 3 105 34.31% 117 38.24% 53 17.32% 16 5.23% 15 4.90% 0 0 16 5% 323 121 185 39% -64
Total 1149 43.20% 830 31.20% 407 15.30% 109 4.10% 165 6.20% 4 2 110 4% 2785 1258 1402 47% -144

Maps Showing What Happened.

ED by ED percentage of votes for Sandy Gordon.

 Balm of Gilead

I often prefer to use Net Votes per Election District, as this more clearly shows were a person lost and won the race, because Turn out can very quite widely from Election District to Election District. Moreover, some Election Districts are more populus then others.

 Across the Lake To Balm of Gilead

Turn out was particularly high in districts that Sandy lost, particularly in Westerlo ED 3 (Dormansville), one of most conservative EDs in Albany County currently.

 Egypt

This map shows the Average Democratic Preformance of Statewide candidates by 2010 Voting Tabulation District, with the 2011 County Leg districts superimposed. Be aware that all statewide Democratic candidates preformed quite well across 2010 Albany County,but it also shows the weakness in Dormansville (Westerlo ED 3), and Cooksburg-Preston Hollow-Potters Hollow (Rensselearville ED 2). The entire district was and is marginal Democratic, and can easily swing into the Republican column.

 Bridge Over Stratton Pond Outflow

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While Sandy Gordon got a higher percentage of votes on Democratic line then Debra Bush on the Republican line, the heavy Conservative-block vote in Renselearville EDs and South Westerlo (ED 1) provided a margin of victory for Debra Bush.

Springtime

Sandy Gordon lost 2/3rds of Knox in the redistricting. He preformed worst in the new portion of the district — specifically Westerlo — and failed to hold onto Renselearville.

While he faced a Tea-Party Movement in Renselearville that organized against him, if he had spent more time going door-to-door in this portion of district, along with introducing himself to Westerlo voters, he may have been able to hold on to his seat.

Regardless, it was tough year for Democratic Incumbents, especially those with a long record and many difficult votes to face, such as over-riding the tax-cap, which will hurt rural residents and those of the hilltowns who own a lot of land hardest.

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