While Oklahoma Democrats had a great deal to celebrate about on the national level last week, locally the celebration was pretty tame.

In fact, it was downright dismal.

Here in Oklahoma, the Democratic Party took it on the chin and, consequently, got its butt kicked in local and state legislative races. The result was Republicans — who ran smart, well-coordinated and professional campaigns — now control both the House of Representatives, the State Senate and the Corporation Commission.

Sure, Democrats had a few bright spots — the races in House Districts 44 and 45, for example — but by and large, Democrats got thumped.

And most of the fault is their own.

Starting with the party structure, Oklahoma’s chief Democrat Ivan Holmes may be a nice guy but he’s no political strategist. From a media perspective, state Democrats did very little coordinating, fundraising and campaigning for state Democrats.

And the fault is Holmes’s.

Philosophy aside, Holmes needs to reach beyond himself and find seasoned, professional strategist to recruit candidates and help run professional, organized campaigns.

Holmes also needs to focus on the home team.

Holmes and company spent more of their time and resources worrying about the national ticket and less on local races. Granted, the presidential races was where all the fun and the hype was, but when it comes to which public officials have more of a direct effect on Oklahoma voters, the national ticket could have waited.

Especially in light of the strength of the McCain-Palin campaign.

Further, Holmes failed to recognize the fact that Okahoma voters will go back and forth on their ticket.

It’s no secret that Oklahoma voters will jump all over their ballot when they turnout to vote — it happens all the time. What’s difficult, though, is that state party officials — and those developing election strategy — failed to take advantage of that and work to keep votes in the D-column down the ticket.

Then there’s our chief executive and Ghost-Democrat Gov. Brad Henry.

Henry remains a decent, hardworking man and, overall, a pretty good governor. But he might as well change his party registration because he did little to help Democrats during the campaign cycle.