Let’s take a quick look back at election day and see which nuggets shine brightest.

Winners

• Dalton mayor David Pennington wasn’t on the ballot personally, but he was strongly identified with the recreation tax issue. Despite fervent opposition, Pennington’s case won the day convincingly.

Apparently the voting public isn’t afraid of change and is willing to give the mayor (and council) plenty of rein in making decisions.

The outcome of this vote can only make Pennington stronger politically — if not more beloved.

• Whitfield County Sheriff Scott Chitwood, a Democrat in a Republican enclave, was supposed to be in trouble this year. Challenger Claude Nix had the resume, funding and organization to unseat the longtime incumbent.

It didn’t happen. Not even close. Chitwood overpowered his opponent and did it with the same methodical, measured manner he’s used in the past. Impressive.

• Ditto for tax commissioner Danny Sane. For whatever reason, no politician in Whitfield County has more loyal supporters. The Republican crushed his opponent.

• Melica Kendrick emerged from a bruising race against Susan Miller, having been accused of everything short of the Lindbergh kidnapping. Her reward? Four more years of backstabbing.

Losers

• The anti-Pennington crowd looked at the recreation tax vote as a possible breakthrough issue against the mayor. Wrong. His reasonable view and forceful leadership carried the day. Pennington isn’t right about everything — this trolley idea should have been strangled in the crib — but when he’s on the mark he’s hard to beat.

• The sky-is-falling crowd had their man in Claude Nix who was gonna saddle up a big posse and go riding through town snatching up illegal aliens like a gigantic Hoover vacuum cleaner of justice.

However, local voters didn’t bite.