CR voters keep Vernon, add Poe and Olson

So, I guess the empire strikes back.

The rebel alliance of youthful and agitated candidates took their best shots at what they insisted was the dark side of downtown recovery and big redevelopment projects. They took aim at the convention complex and the hotel and the new library and the amphitheater. They resisted the Chamber and other insidery interests they determined to be a phantom menace.

And after May's surprise defeat of the local option-sales tax extension, you had to wonder whether this ragtag bunch of very vocal city hall critics might score a few more upsets.

Nope. The force was not with them Tuesday.

The lone incumbent on the ballot, Monica Vernon, won easily in District 2 over Kirkwood student Taylor Nelson. A very incumbent-like candidate, former Rebuild Iowa Office liaison Ann Poe, won the at-large seat. And commercial realtor Scott Olson, a guy closely associated with downtown development, captured the District 4 seat, narrowly avoiding a runoff if the unofficial results hold up.

All three defended the council's efforts to invest and redevelop the core of the city against the strenuous argument that those projects have sapped resources from other parts of the city. The strike against downtown seemed to have emotional strength, even if virtually none of the state and federal money being used on those projects would be available to, say, fix streets in other parts of Cedar Rapids. It was, in fact, the Cedar River in 2008 that picked downtown as the future site of large government investments.

While the campaign narrative seemed to be all about angst, Vernon, Poe and Olson looked almost out-of-touch with their stay-positive, be unified campaigns. But it turns out they might have been naive like a fox.

Because, really, for a lot of voters, I think this was the first post-post-flood election. So much of the gripes aimed at the council are about the watery past, about decisions made, projects approved, die long cast. No matter who was elected to the council Tuesday, the library would be built, the hotel will stay owned and the convention complex will convene. Those well beaten horses left the barn months ago.

So we're left with the future, hopefully one without high water and FEMA and outside consultants and bureaucrats telling us when to jump and how high. Certainly the recovery continues, decisions must still be made and there's another sales tax vote on the horizon in March. But I think a lot of voters want to move on to a new dry day.

Or at least move on from the stubborn animosity and anger that have gripped this city for a very long time. Being mad is damn tiring, even for bystanders.

If we're going to fight, and we will fight,  I get a sense folks want to at least scuffle about something new or different or more municipally normal. Streets perhaps, or new storm water rules or medians or Curbys or whatever.

Or we might try coming together in perfect galactic harmony...nah. Bad for the column business.