* We’ll be back Monday and maybe Tuesday, depending on blog traffic. But before we go, let’s hand out some awards.

* The 2014 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Statehouse Insider goes to Nancy Kimme…

This year, in the wake of JBT, it’s hard not to honor Nancy Kimme. As Knome said, it’s her year.

But I agree with others that Tom Cullen should win this year. 1) he doesn’t want it. 2) he supports Nancy’s nomination. 3) this is about insider’s insiders, like OW said.

Tom treats staff, both Democrats and Republicans as equals. Not just because he comes from their ranks, but because it’s the right thing to do and that’s how he is. While Tom doesn’t like to lose, he does play the game with honor, integrity, passion and fairness.

Any other year, Tom would have run away with this. But, like elections, trying times define who we are and JBT’s passing put Nancy in the spotlight, where we can now learn more about the great work she does, the respect she commands, and overall love that is felt for her and high esteem people have of her.

In conclusion, I nominate Nancy Kimme because she deserves it and, like Tom, doesn’t want the attention!

Tom Cullen wins runner-up.

* The 2014 Steve Brown Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Government/Campaign Spokesperson goes to Dave Clarkin…

It’s easy to be a spokesperson for another when the road is paved and the lines are there to follow. You measure a good Spokesperson when that vehicle seems to miss the paved road and the Principle needs to find their way.

Dave Clarkin added a much needed voice, a consistently sound voice that guided his Principle during a time of great uncertainty. The tone and tenor of the last 3 months of the campaign, and the days following Election Day, Dave Clarkin was instrumental in trying to keep things toned down, while at the same time continually cheerleading, but with great care and skill not to seem too brash.

I nominate Dave Clarkin for the Steve Brown Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Government/Campaign Spokesperson for the solid service rendered during a time that being a spokesperson was as important as the history playing out. Yeoman work.

The Frerichs campaign seemed to turn around when Clarkin finally arrived.

* And now it’s time to hand out the 2014 Wordslinger Golden Horseshoe Award for Best CapitolFax.com Commenter. Past winner Steve Schnorf (and several others) nominated Soccermom…

Speaks truth in such an entertaining way. Smarts, witty not too partisan, progressive without being elitist. I’m smitten, as are so many others

Past winner Oswego Willy (along with several others) nominated MrJM…

This was a year of intensity and overload. If we weren’t fact checking, we were waiting for point/counter point from governmental bodies to campaigns. There was plenty going on, and this place was place to find out.

- MrJM - was consistently on top of his game. While it seemed discussions would focus down to the tenses of verbs, - MrJM - had an uncanny knack to infuse his thoughts, many times ridiculously funny thoughts, to give a clearer ironic look at the happenings of the day.

Do yoursrlf a solid, just check out his Twitter. Hysterical. It’s like reading a supplement to his comments here, and his pithy remarks there are as interesting as they are here. There have been way too many times I laughed at the absurdity I missed and he pointed out, as only he could.

Thanks - MrJM -, I nominate you for keeping a sharply cynical view that is delivered with such comedy and style.

Linus summed it up for me…

I’d like to split my vote, and second these nominations for king and queen of the commenting prom:

– MrJM, for the reasons Precinct Captain and others have stated so well. Many are the mornings I’ve guffawed heartily into my coffee mug over his pithy posts.

– Soccermom, for her respectful opinions and the well-balanced way she shares them.

So, it’s a tie yet again: Soccermom and MrJM. Congrats to both worthy winners!

* For Baar…

So let’s set the world on fire