Councilwoman Theresa M. Pierno, who lost her bid for the Harford council presidency to Councilwoman Joanne S. Parrott in one of the closest races in the county Tuesday, says losing is just part of the political game.
"I'm not discouraged. This comes with the territory. If you're going to hold political office, you have to be willing to accept defeat," she said Wednesday, considering her options for the future.
"I'm going to look at this as an opportunity to do something else to become well-rounded."
Mrs. Pierno, who rode to victory in the County Council races four years ago on a wave of anti-development sentiment, was swept out of office Tuesday by a Republican tide that swallowed Democrats in nearly every office in county government.
County Executive Eileen M. Rehrmann and winners in two county courthouse races were the only Democratic incumbents who survived the election.
Mrs. Pierno's race with District B Republican Parrott for the seat being vacated by Jeffrey D. Wilson was the narrowest on the council. Mrs. Parrott won 51 percent of the vote and Mrs. Pierno 49 percent. They were only 1,402 votes apart.
Democrat Philip J. Barker, the incumbent District F councilman, was ousted by Mitchell Shank, 53 percent to 47 percent. And the seats Mrs. Parrott and Mrs. Pierno vacated to run for the presidency both were taken by Republicans -- Veronica L. Chenowith in District B and Mark S. Decker in District C.
Council members Susan B. Heselton of District A, Barry Glassman of District D and Robert S. Wagner of District E retained their seats on the seven-member council.
The result was the election of the first all-Republican council in the county's history.
Mrs. Pierno, an active environmentalist even before she joined the council, said she wondered what effect conservative policy-makers will have on a county still in the midst of a growth-management crisis.
"I do worry about Harford County now, with a council that the development community almost hand- picked and an executive with strong ties to the development industry," she said.
Mrs. Pierno said she also worries about the fate of laws that were passed by the last council, including the transfer tax and adequate-public-facilities legislation designed to control growth.
The former, a controversial tax that pays for agricultural land preservation and school construction, was opposed by several of the winning candidates in Tuesday's election. Some even talked about rescinding or altering the tax.
"I do fear that some of the legislation the last council passed might be weakened or dismantled," Mrs. Pierno said. "We need to do more to strengthen adequate-public-facilities laws, not weaken them."
As she began cleaning out her office last week, compiling stacks of files to turn over to Mr. Decker, Mrs. Pierno reflected on Tuesday's landslide by the Republicans and the lack of unity among Harford County Democrats.
The Democrats didn't work as a team, she said, and the party grew even more disjointed after the primary election, when key officials, including the county executive, refused to endorse fellow Democrats.
"For the most part, the leadership of the party and those in state offices weren't willing to work for the other Democratic candidates. It was each man for himself. And you see where it got us," she said.
"The Republicans worked as a team. They distributed one another's literature and supported one another. We didn't. In fact, the Democrats that survived did not align themselves with other Democrats at all."
Mrs. Pierno said it's "still a little early" to say where and when politics might re-enter her life.
"I still plan to be involved," she said election night. "I'm going to continue to work on the issues in the county and continue to support legislation for managed growth and for education."
Later in the week, Mrs. Pierno said she is considering entering law school next fall and will be looking for a job soon.
Whatever her decision, she won't drop out of sight, particularly in areas of local land use and environmental issues, she said.
"I was involved as a volunteer and community activist before I held office, and I think I will always be involved. I care too much to move away from it.
"As for running again, it depends on who's in office at the time and what kind of job is being done and what still needs to be done.
"I like developing public policy, and I want to create change," she said. "But for the next four years I'll just have to find other ways to do it."