With many taken aback by a Democratic candidate winning the Muncie mayoral election for the first time in 20 years, Ball State political science faculty have mixed feelings about the results.

Joseph Losco, political science department chairman, said what shocked him was that Dennis Tyler beat Mayor Sharon McShurley with 56 percent of the vote.

"Most reports were that it was going to be a lot closer," he said. "The ground game that Democrats used was pretty good. They got out their supporters."

Gary Crawley, assistant professor of political science, said the reason why Tyler pulled a victory could be simple.

"I don't think there was any big influx in voters," he said. "I think people just changed their minds and decided to go with somebody different."

A frequent battle during McShurley's term was passing legislation with a primarily Democratic city council. Ray Scheele, professor of political science, said he doesn't think passing legislation will be much easier with Tyler in office.

"There's always some tension between the legislative branch and the executive branch, even if the party is united in the sense of having the same party members in both areas, but they have different functions," he said.

Crawley said he isn't sure if having all Democrats in the city council and the mayor's office will be a good thing.

"In these times with the economy as tight as it is and local money in short supply, I don't think there is an awful lot he can do that's all that different than what McShurley has done, to be perfectly honest," he said. "I don't see where you can come out with major new initiatives if you can't fund them."

Many criticize McShurley's time in office, but political science faculty observers said it wasn't a loss at all. Scheele said McShurley was able to get plenty accomplished such as strategic planning with respect to city parks, work with Prairie Creek Reservoir and Tuhey Pool, and infrastructure improvements in terms of paving and sidewalks.

"She certainly has run a lean administration with the respect of the budget, so I think she's got some accomplishments to look back on and be proud of," he said.

Losco said Muncie constituents will have to see how much Tyler will actually change Muncie's current state.

"No matter who's in at this point, obviously Muncie has some serious budgetary concerns, so it is going to be difficult for them to move or advance Muncie forward given the current budget constraints," he said. "We'll have to see what kind of approach the new administration has."

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