Last night's election in Anchorage just makes me sad.

With almost all of the ballots counted, Sullivan had captured 43 percent of the votes cast. He needed more than 45 percent to win the mayor's race Tuesday and avoid the runoff with the No. 2 vote getter.

Former state Rep. Eric Croft will also be in the runoff, running second with about 20 percent of the vote. Assemblywoman Sheila Selkregg was third.

My favorite candidate and the man I voted for, Walt Monegan, came in fourth. I was not terribly surprised that he did not win, but I was a little surprised to see Sheila Selkregg beat him by such a substantial margin. It seems to me that Monegan's battle with Governor Palin has defined him in a way that makes many Anchorage residents consider him a hero, and others to immediately label him insubordinate and a trouble maker. I have to wonder that if Walt stays in politics those labels don't continue to define him despite his best efforts to change the narrative.

I also got spanked by my choice for the School Board seat. My neighbor Jody Smith came in third in her attempt to win seat E. Her campaign certainly was not helped by the revelation that her children's godfather is none other than portly Rush Limbaugh wannabe Dan Fagan. A more distasteful choice could hardly be imagined by Alaskan progressives.

Now that there is going to be a runoff between Eric Croft and Dan "Sarah Palin endorsed me" Sullivan, progressives will really have to band together to keep our city out of the hands of the bar owners and oil companies who paid for Sullivan's campaign.

Oh well another round of local elections is over and we can turn our attention back to the important questions of the day. Like has Sarah Palin lied yet this morning? Done anything unethical? Appointed another unqualified candidate for an important political position?

Not yet? Well it is early, just give her time.