Complacency and lethargy ruined Dems chances in 2010
Unhappily, the Democrats of Nassau County New York are guilty of complacency, lethargy, and incompetence and the result is that they needlessly threw away control of the State Senate, and with it, the chance to do some correct Congressional apportioning as well.
If you were keeping score, the State Senate went Democratic in 2008 for the first time in decades. The Republicans were in shambles. Their leader went to prison. The five Long Island Republican Senators (out of 30 at the time) were ready to be taken. Their records were worse than abysmal as they led a legislature deemed the worst in the country by acclamation. All of the planets were in alignment for permanent realignment.
Except the local Dems did nothing but sit on their keisters and blow it all to hell.
Not one of the Nassau challengers made much of an effort; in my district it was the worst. The candidate did nothing on her own behalf -- no fundraising, no appearances, no campaiging, not even a current Facebook page. Even then, she ended up with about 35%, and she might have won if somebody realized she was actually running.
The one Democratic seat in the area changed hands largely because the candidate was milquetoast at best.
When I alerted it to the lethargy, the Democratic State Legislative Campaign in Washington couldn't be bothered to call me back, much less do something.
All around, this was a Pogo situation -- we met the enemy and it was us.
Heads should roll over there and new people should take over.