Obviously, John Sweet’s strategy of not spending any money, not campaigning and not even getting into the voters’ pamphlet coupled with not showing up for work these last three weeks didn’t pay off. Challenger Don Gurney not only survived the primary but bested the incumbent by 154 votes 4,770 to 4,616 despite or perhaps because of a low 36% voter turnout. Because neither candidate garnered more than 50% of the vote they will battle it out in the general election.

Things are not likely to go so easy for Gurney in November, however, because the money will surely start to flow from the same Coos Bay and North Bend contributors Sweet had during the last election. The CCAP (Coos County Alliance for Progress) still has some cash without reaching out to donors to throw into Sweet’s campaign.

If Gurney is going to win, it will take a concerted grassroots campaign with plenty of volunteers working door to door to fight the influx of cash from the Bay Area.