What Did We Learn Today?

Assuming the early unofficial returns hold up....

1. Maureen stands alone. Neither Rosie Hanlon nor Althea Garrison seem to have made it past the prelims, leaving exactly zero women on the final ballot for the 13 Boston City Council seats, other than council President Maureen Feeney.

2. Eastie: right on the map, right on the ideological spectrum! Or at least, they're grumpy toward liberals -- and that means you too, Mayor Menino. Eastie's old Italian Catholics (aka voters) rejected Menino's boy for state rep, choosing instead a conservative who -- the Democratic leadership has made clear -- will have absolutely no power in the State House.

3. The BMG kiss of death. Blue Mass Group endorsed Gloribell Mota in the state rep race. Slaughtered! They endorsed Tim Schofield in the Allston-Brighton council race. Crushed! Earlier this month they endorsed Tim Flaherty for state senate -- pummeled! And Jamie Eldridge for US Rep -- Demolished!

4. Russian roulette? I haven't seen precinct numbers, but I've got to think that Wallingford Road went with Greg Glennon, providing him the margin to beat Schofield and reach the final 2 showdown with Ciommo. Interesting race brewing between them now.

5. Felix needs friends. Looking forward to the November citywide election, today's results are bad signs for Felix Arroyo. First, Mota absolutely failed to pull East Boston Latinos into the voting booth, a development that would have helped Arroyo. Second, Eastie and A-B voted very conservative, suggesting very little warmth for progressive, New Boston candidates out in the neighborhoods. Third, Carlos Henriquez's poor showing against Chuck Turner -- slipping through to the final ballot with barely 15% of the vote -- means that it's a non-race (unlike, say, Ego Ezedi's challenge to Charles Yancey a few years back), and will generate no interest and thus very little turnout in November in the Arroyo-friendly Roxbury district.