Lost amid the hype of Florida turning Obama blue is the fact that Republicans gained power at local levels across the state, including Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

Hernando's Democratic Party officials say the Obama camp is to blame: "We were hurt by the Obama campaign in the end," said Steve Zeledon, Hernando Democratic Club president. "They would not do anything to help local candidates."

Of course, the reasons for the losses at the Hernando level are more complex. At the same time Democrats in Hernando try to regroup, they are losing their local party chairman, Jay Rowden, who is stepping down. Read more here.

John Frank, Times staff writer

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