Local political consultant Herb Williams had a couple of pithy observations about the local and statewide results.

On Propositions 94-97 (Indian gambling), which are losing 32-68 in Sonoma County and are virtually tied statewide: “If you don’t live near a casino you will vote for the measures. If you live near a casino, you will vote against them.”

On the Democratic presidential race: “It’s worthy of note that throughout California there were people who wanted their absentee ballot back. Precincts in Alameda County ran out of ballots and had to use mimeographed ballots. In Berkeley, the lines at the polls were huge. You haven’t seen this since Eugene McCarthy. Obama brought out the young people.This is a quiet, youthful revolution.”

On the Republican presidential race: “The evangelical vote plus money equals Bush. It’s amazing that Huckabee spent only $300,000 (in the last couple of weeks) while another candidate spends $32 million, and has done this well.”

And, from the mouths of other observers … One local six-year-old girl told her parents this morning that they should vote for Hillary Duff. Her six-year-old cousin, who was watching the State of Union last week, responded when his mother told him that President George Bush was speaking, “I thought he was dead!”