The votes are counted and the dust has settled and the city of Reading has emerged from Tuesday's election with only one party in complete control. The Republicans lost their one and only seat on City Council.


  Republicans have traditionally been the minority here. Come January 5, they will be absent from city government all together.

>> FUHS: I don't care what others necessarily think, I was going to do and fight for what I believe was in the best interest of the city.

>> REPORTER: For the past four years, Steve Fuhs has been the lone Republican voice on Reading City Council. Tuesday, voters gave the District 1 seat to Democrat Francis Acosta.

>> ACOSTA: I want to make sure that I truly bring the voice from the community to City Council.

>> REPORTER: Acosta says it was a hard-fought battle to oust the incumbent and credits support from those higher in the party, like Senator Mike O'Pake and Tom Caltagirone. Fuhs says bringing out those big guns for the campaign positions Acosta to strengthen controlled alliances that already exist on Council. Until this point, Fuhs says he was the opposing voice and swing vote among the six.

>> FUHS: When it comes down to tough issues that the Democratic establishment wants a certain outcome, you're going to see a voting block of four.

>> REED: You have in these councils fairly independent-minded people, at least we had had fairly independent-minded people.

>> REPORTER: Voters returned Democrat Donna Reed to the council seat she left three years ago. She agrees cliques have formed since then, but feels her time away sets her up for a more independent position.

>> DONNA REED: It was good for me to get back into the objective, independent... you know. I don't owe anybody anything, but I'll listen to everybody.

>> REPORTER: On paper, a completely Democratic council looks like a Democratic mayor's dream. But in this case, no one is really expecting it to ease the long-standing tensions between the administration and City Council. In fact, with the mayoral election two years away, some predict there will be increased posturing among council members as they face the city's financial issues.

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