America last night voted for change. A number of key national and local elections slid from the grip of the Republican party and into the hands of the Democrats, a trend not lost on local politicos.

“The color of choice tonight is blue,” said Chenango Democratic Committee Chairman Catherine Ulfik at the party’s Broad Street headquarters.

Many local Republicans attributed the Democrats’ advantage to national issues plaguing the party, such as the deteriorating situation in Iraq. “I think we’re seeing a tsunami effect of democratic voters coming out. It’s been an uphill battle. A lot of our politics are local; not everything is tied to Washington,” said Assemblyman Cliff Crouch, who reclaimed his GOP seat last night.

Thomas Morrone, Republican Committee Chair for Chenango County, congratulated a number of local Republican victors and expressed disappointment over the congressional race between Michael Arcuri and Raymond Meier. “Arcuri and Meier had a great run. I just hope Arcuri will be able to deliver like our Sherwood Boehlert,” said Morrone.

Last night New Berlin Democrat Elizabeth Garry became a New York State Supreme Court Justice. Garry was in a tight race with Madison County Republican Dennis McDermott which reached late into the evening as numbers stayed too close to call. At around 11 p.m., at the Joyce Law Office in Sherburne, Garry received word that she would represent the New York State Supreme Court Sixth District. A crowd of supporters crowded into the office cheered and applauded her victory.