2019 in review: Democrats lose ground

Carbon County was once considered solid Democratic but elections and voter registrations suggest that Republicans now hold an advantage.

In 2019, GOP candidates took several elected offices previously held by Democrats while continuing to grow their advantage in voter registration countywide.

Carbon County had been considered a Democratic stronghold for decades. But Democrats lost their voter registration advantage in 2018 and the party’s share of registered voters shrank again this year.

During November’s general election, the GOP swept all contested races for countywide office. Three democratic incumbents — District Attorney Jean Engler, Clerk of Courts Francine Heaney, and prothonotary Joann Behrens, lost to Republican challengers.

The only Democrat running for county office who didn’t lose was Sheriff Anthony Harvilla, who ran unopposed.

The county row offices have been a Democratic stronghold for years. But there were signs prior to this election cycle that Carbon County was shifting Republican.

Democrats haven’t had the majority on the county board of commissioners since 2007.

In 2016, 65 percent of voters who cast ballots in Carbon County voted for President Trump. The last democratic presidential candidate to carry Carbon County was Barack Obama in 2008.

Five years ago, Democrats had a registration advantage of more than 4,000. As of November, Republicans have not only caught up, but actually outnumber registered Democrats by 1,579.

For the previous 30 years, Democrats outnumbered Republicans in Carbon County.