We won the local state rep races that I figured we’d surely take from the Republicans. Jeanne Kirkton beat out Randy Jotte for the open seat in Webster Groves, HD 93 (52.2 to 47.8) and Vicki Englund took Jim Lembke’s vacated seat from Cloria Brown (54.4 to 45.6). Both these women have been hard at work for more than a year, running campaigns that could serve as models for how it’s done.

Kenny Biermann came oh so close against Vicki Schneider in ’06, and he knew he was coming even closer this time around when she started running lieing negative ads against him last week. That’s when he figured her internals showed him winning. Sorry, Vicki (OK, not really): your internals were correct. Biermann barely snagged HD 17 in St. Charles County (50.2 to 49.8), but barely is as good as trouncing her. He still gets the seat.

Unfortunately, the other Democrat I had hopes for in St. Charles County, first time candidate Kristy Manning, running against “four week incumbent” Mark Parkinson, lost. Manning is a bright, hard working young woman with depth of knowledge on the issues. But Parkinson didn’t behave like a Republican: he actually got out and knocked on those doors like a trooper, and he gets to keep the seat. He won it (53.1 to 46.9).

I hated to see Deb Lavender lose to that far right wingnut, Rick Stream (56 to 44). I was hoping that Kirkwood would come to its senses after more than fifty years of almost uninterrupted, unmitigated Republican representation, because Kirkwood isn’t the raving anti-gay, anti-abortion haven where you’d expect Rick Stream to hold sway. But they elected him. Go figure.

Phil Bognar and Marty Ott gave it a shot against long odds. No dice. But my hat is off to you two and to Deb and Kristi anyway. People who work as hard as all of you did in the hope of doing some good for the people of this state deserve our respect and thanks. Let me speak for the Democrats who did vote for you. Thank you for running.

Department of cheerful news and relief: Two Democrats held onto the seats of local reps who chose to run for statewide office. Jill Schupp demolished her opponent (59.7 to 40.3)to keep Sam Page’s seat in our column. (Sam, I’m sad that you weren’t able to pull it off. Your loss is Missouri’s loss.)

And Margo McNeil also whomped her opponent (58.6 to 41.4) to hold Clint Zweifel’s seat (YA-A-Y Clint!). Both Jill and Margo will go to Jeff City already well versed in the issues and ready to be excellent reps.

It dawns on me now that four of these five winners are women. Whatever that means. Certainly couldn’t hurt.

Okay, when I start writing stuff like that, it’s time for this loopy broad to head off to bed. I’ve been up for 22 hours.