Imagine how bad our night started...

We went out to gather signs and results in this order:

1. Roble (trailing)
2. Dorothy (trailing)
3. Lloydsville (no results but we had a bad feeling)
4. Ward 1 (trailing)
5. Ward 3 (trailing bad! Eric Hauser must live there)
6. Ward 4 (trailing)
7. Ward 2 (trailing where the Repuclican mayoral candidate is up huge! Bad sign)
8. Ward 5 (trailing)
9. Ward 6 (no results but the trend was not our friend)

So, driving out of Latrobe. We had thought we lost. I refreshed the blackberry and saw that we were ahead with only Whitney and Mutual out. We high tailed it to Whitney and thank God we had a poll worker there. Specifically, Rhonda's father. Hauser won big(at least we know who was pushing for him there), but not big enough to overtake our lead. And then, mutual came in with Rhonda ahead.

What were we thinking going to our weakest polls first? Nothing like driving around thinking you have lost.

So many people to thank for my wife's victory

• Our friends and family who came out to vote, work the polls and told their friends to vote for us
• For all those who put signs out
• Mike O'Barto
• Both supervisor candidates, John Mylant and Sherry Bohla
• Greaterlatrobe.net for posting the video--almost 200 views more than our main opponent and our facebook friends that shared it.
• Who could forget the Vote for Rhonda runners last summer!
• Whoever started the rumor about me and reporting the "signs without disclaimers" because that actually helped us meet more people who helped us
• Barack Obama who actually made people want to vote republican again
• Poll workers for other candidates who helped us pass out info
• The other school board candidates who chose not to work the polls at all today. Normally, I don't think poll working helps. But today, it did. We had a lousy ballot position, but it was right under Bill Palmer. His excellent campaign got people to look down ballot for his name and then we were the only other school board campaign out there with literature.
• Olivia, Natalie and Elizabeth for being awesome today.
• And all those who helped who probably don't want me to put their names on the blog. You know who you are and thank you!

Rhonda really deserved to win. I just don't think it should have been this hard. Greater Latrobe is awesome school district!

Greaterlatrobe.net's video of Rhonda

Greater Latrobe School Board race

It seems that someone has told people that I reported the fact that candidates failed to properly put the "paid for" disclaimer on their signs.

I wish people would get their facts straight before making accusations.

I did not report these signs to the courthouse. Also, no one associated with me or my wife reported these signs to the courthouse.

My wife, Rhonda Laughlin, in the Trib

At last night's board meeting, some directors wanted to raise taxes. Rhonda did not. Read for yourself from the Tribune-Review.

Director Susan Mains said without a state budget in place, the district doesn't know for sure what it willbe receiving as its basic education subsidy. And the state has other changes proposed that could affect the district's bottom line, she said.

Mains said she feels more comfortable having small millage increases yearly, rather than one, large millage hike in a given year. The small increases give the district some cushion for unforeseen expenses, she said.

I'm fearful we're digging a hole that we shouldn't be digging," Mains said.

Director Kathryn Elder agreed that slight yearly increases put her more at ease than one large hike.

"We're kind of getting squeezed," Elder said. "I"m very concerned."

But Director Rhonda Laughlin said directors couldn't increase real estate taxes this time based on what might occur.

"Just to raise taxes 'just in case,' I think, is wrong," Laughlin said.
Tribune-Review July 1, 2009

This morning's Whisper's in the Tribune-Review

I don't get this observation at all. I mean at all! Someone will have to explain it to me.

DO AS I SAY. Some Westmoreland County politicians were smirking at former GOP chairman Perry Christopher's observations about the lack of races for county government offices on his blog, only to be followed on the day after the election with laments on his blog about having to forgo political retirement to work on his wife's campaign this fall.

I have to say some Westmoreland County politicians will smirk at anything. Let me interrupt for a few facts.

• I love my wife.
• She is a valuable member of the school board.
• She is a fantastic mother and a great friend.
• She is the type of person you want involved in your local government.

In today's society, a husband willing to help his wife achieve her goals by supporting her in any way she needs is nothing to smirk at. I just find that whole thing odd. Besides, they failed to mention how cool the other blog is! Go visit it. In my opinion, rather than smirking, those Westmoreland County politicians should have been saying "that guy must really love his wife" rather than always looking for the negative in things. But, isn't that really what is wrong with our political system? Too much negative energy!

By the way, it was precisely attitudes and comments like this that made me lose my affinity toward politics. I found it became about who could make the snidest remark about someone rather than advancing ideas. Life is too short for that. I will work for candidates that are good people. After my wife's election, Corbett for governor and Tim Krieger for state rep are two things I will certainly be involved in.

Today's reason really grooves!

If you like this kind of stuff!

Check it out.

www.latrobewildcats.blogspot.com

Numbers 4, 5 and 6 reasons about Rhonda are now up

Writing something nice or cool about her everyday is a piece of cake! (So far...)

Rhonda Reason #3

dum, ditty, dum, ditty, dum, dum, dum! You have to go here to see what I am talking about.

Reason to vote for Rhonda Laughlin for Greater Latrobe School Board #2

Rhonda Laughlin is active in the Westmoreland County United Way.

Rhonda reasons...

I created a new blog for them. I am so easily entertained. This is going to keep me busy all summer. For now on, I am going to post the reason here, but you are going to have to follow the link for the elaboration. Please feel free to comment.

http://latrobewildcats.blogspot.com/

Reasons to vote for Rhonda Laughlin for Greater Latrobe School Board

Do you think I can come up with a new reason to vote for Rhonda for School Board everyday until the election in November? We shall see.

Reason #1. She skipped the Damien Rice concert because she had a school board meeting. While this is a reason for me not to vote for her, it certainly qualifies as a reason for the rest of you to vote for her. An extreme example of dedication.

This is probably not only my favorite Damien Rice song, but may be my favorite song of all time.