The advances gained by Bucks County Republicans in the round of municipal races two weeks ago may seem like small-time politics. But the county’s color shift from blue to red, no matter how subtle, may end up having national implications. Holly Otterbein noted the significance in Politico.

Republican pickups for this election cycle were expected, given sagging approval ratings of the Biden Administration. But they were nonetheless surprising. They may, in a larger context, indicate that the party is on a much more solid footing now that Trump is out of office.

Numerous Democratic races invoked the specter of the Trump administration in its campaign literature for recent municipal races. One mailer warned: “Bucks County Republicans are keeping Trumpism alive here at home. To stop them — Vote!”

Some pundits wondered whether Republican voters would even turn out in an election cycle absent Trump on a ballot.

But the Republican inroads perhaps signaled a party eagerness to put the prior administration behind it.

Mike Conallen, former chief of staff to Bucks County Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, said that across the slate of judicial, supervisor, and row office races, “There was not a whisper of Trump.”

Voters spoke regardless.

More about Bucks County Republicans and their local gains is at Politico.