Martin Bamonto, left, talks with Mayor Wilfred Rosas on Election Day.

Where exactly do the invested Chautauqua County Democrats go from here? During the last three elections, high ranking party members have spent more time fighting amongst themselves than they have against their official opponents — those on the other side of the aisle who have received the Republican endorsement.

What an exercise in futility.

Tuesday’s results are one more indictment about the state of affairs regarding a local political organization that continues to stumble while losing its clout. There is no disputing the direction this week. It is all downhill from here — a runaway train without an engine that is being led by a caboose.

Even the once-strong Democratic thresholds can no longer be counted on to deliver wins. In Jamestown, Republican candidates dominated by winning seven of the nine seats. One of those contests in Ward 5 had a candidate in Republican Grant Olsen who gave notice in September he would not serve another term if he was re-elected. He still won.

“That was kind of surprising,” said Brent Sheldon, Jamestown Republican Committee chairman, when hearing the result.

It was not much better elsewhere. Fredonia, which almost always leans left, now has a Republican majority for the first time in recent memory with Mayor Douglas Essek and three Village Board members who include Nicole Siracuse, Jon Espersen and David Bird.

In Dunkirk, council maintained its GOP grip, but two races will be decided by absentee votes in an at-large contest between David Damico, who leads by 99, against Nick Weiser and Second Ward incumbent Martin Bamonto, who trails by 16, to Linda Stolinski. That is a small glimmer of hope.

County numbers were even worse with losses in both the executive and clerk races and now only four of 19 legislators who hold seats are not Republicans. The large-margin victories on Tuesday make the incumbents seem invincible.

Signs in March pointed to significant wounds from within the party as at least three local committees sent notices to the OBSERVER and The Post-Journal voicing concerns about leadership that revolved around the Democratic Election Commissioner post that ultimately was approved for Luz Torres. In addition, eight members resigned from the Jamestown committee noting frustrations with Jim Walton, city Democratic Committee chairman, and Norman Green, county party chair.

“With each passing day (Green’s) decision-making results in deeper division within our party and disgraces our party in the eyes of the general public,” noted the letter from the Westfield Democratic Committee. “Given the demise of a healthy two-party system in Chautauqua County, which has occurred and worsened over the last decade, the time of the chair’s tenure, we can ill afford to lose any more Democratic representation in government. Rather than supporting Democrats with winning records, the chair launches campaigns of retribution against incumbents who express disapproval of his leadership.”

In responding to the Jamestown resignations that included City Councilwoman Tamu Reinhardt, David Reinhardt, Taylor Scott, Noah Goodling, Sabrina Gustafson, Timothy C. Smeal, Jessica Carr and Laura Livingood, Walton offered this statement: “The truth is that we appreciated the suggestions this minority group in our party just recently put forward and we will move forward on these suggestions in their absence even though they are no longer part of the legally recognized Jamestown Democratic Committee,” he said in an email. “We are the party of Mayor Eddie Sundquist and his Democratic administration and we fully support his efforts and urge all Democrats to follow Eddie’s leadership.”

Walton’s message was not embraced then — and obviously did not materialize this week. As for Green, he stepped up as a candidate for executive. But the backing he received — with less than 30% of the vote — indicates a new voice must lead the party.

But who will that be? Some who have worked hard behind the scenes believe they were not heard or disregarded. Others, such as those in Jamestown, just walked away.

Registered Democratic voters are not oblivious to internal problems. They are making a clear choice to go the opposite direction at the polls.

A shake-up is definitely coming. Is anyone ready — or willing — to take on the major repairs?

John D’Agostino is the editor of the OBSERVER, The Post-Journal and Times Observer in Warren, Pa. Send comments to jdagostino@observertoday.com or call 366-3000, ext. 253.