John Russell, who won a seat on the City Council Tuesday, went right to an analogy last week, when I asked him how he came to be a Green Party candidate cross-endorsed by the Republicans."When logs come down a river, they sometimes jam up, and someone has to kick them free," Russell said.

"When logs come down a river, they sometimes jam up, and someone has to kick them free," Russell said.And in a city long dominated by Democratic Party rule, what better way to kick than for the two weaker parties to join forces.

And in a city long dominated by Democratic Party rule, what better way to kick than for the two weaker parties to join forces."I believe the city needs a shake-up. There is too much nepotism and cronyism," Russell said last week. "Coalition building would be a way to change the balance of power in the city."

"I believe the city needs a shake-up. There is too much nepotism and cronyism," Russell said last week. "Coalition building would be a way to change the balance of power in the city." And indeed, the coalition built by the Greens and the Republicans on Tuesday helped unlock the Democratic majority on the council, a remarkable win given an overwhelming voter registration handicap.

And indeed, the coalition built by the Greens and the Republicans on Tuesday helped unlock the Democratic majority on the council, a remarkable win given an overwhelming voter registration handicap.(It didn't hurt that dysfunctional Democrats, busy locking out one of their own, practically handed them the keys to the election.)

(It didn't hurt that dysfunctional Democrats, busy locking out one of their own, practically handed them the keys to the election.)Not only was Russell the third highest voter-getter in the council race, Green candidate Ronna Stuller finished fourth for Board of Education.

Not only was Russell the third highest voter-getter in the council race, Green candidate Ronna Stuller finished fourth for Board of Education.That's quite a showing for a party with only about 50 registered voters in the city.

That's quite a showing for a party with only about 50 registered voters in the city.Russell and Stuller are the first Greens to win council or board seats in New London and are among only a handful from the party to hold elected office around the state.

Russell and Stuller are the first Greens to win council or board seats in New London and are among only a handful from the party to hold elected office around the state. At their campaign headquarters Tuesday night, a corner of the lobby of Union Station, the Greens were reliably understated, although a small cheer went up when preliminary results showed their only two candidates had won.

At their campaign headquarters Tuesday night, a corner of the lobby of Union Station, the Greens were reliably understated, although a small cheer went up when preliminary results showed their only two candidates had won."The Green Party had a clean sweep," someone offered slyly.

"The Green Party had a clean sweep," someone offered slyly."I guess Green is in," said a grinning Stuller, who is also chairwoman of the party.

"I guess Green is in," said a grinning Stuller, who is also chairwoman of the party.Clearly the cross endorsements of Russell and Stuller by the Republicans were instrumental in the party's success this election, and in a curious way the arrangement supports some of the party's unorthodox political thinking.

Clearly the cross endorsements of Russell and Stuller by the Republicans were instrumental in the party's success this election, and in a curious way the arrangement supports some of the party's unorthodox political thinking.They are not people easily herded.

They are not people easily herded.Russell was actually a lifelong Democrat before changing parties and running for the legislature as a Republican. He ended up as a Green council candidate this election when he didn't at first find a place on the Republican council slate.

Russell was actually a lifelong Democrat before changing parties and running for the legislature as a Republican. He ended up as a Green council candidate this election when he didn't at first find a place on the Republican council slate."I am not a party guy and I vote across party lines," he said. "I don't see the big issue of parties at this level."

"I am not a party guy and I vote across party lines," he said. "I don't see the big issue of parties at this level."Stuller, too, told me she votes for individuals, whatever their party might be.

Stuller, too, told me she votes for individuals, whatever their party might be.Stuller said she and other Greens supported a lot of Republicans this year, mostly because they wanted more of the city's business done in the open, rather than in closed party caucuses.

Stuller said she and other Greens supported a lot of Republicans this year, mostly because they wanted more of the city's business done in the open, rather than in closed party caucuses."When one party has a monopoly on power, even one as fractured as the Democrats are now, everything becomes a done deal," she said.

"When one party has a monopoly on power, even one as fractured as the Democrats are now, everything becomes a done deal," she said.By that same thinking, she said, the Greens didn't want to see a Republican sweep either. Even the Greens, she added, wouldn't want all seven council seats to themselves.

By that same thinking, she said, the Greens didn't want to see a Republican sweep either. Even the Greens, she added, wouldn't want all seven council seats to themselves."The Greens have never wanted to run the city. We just wanted to be in the mix," she said.

"The Greens have never wanted to run the city. We just wanted to be in the mix," she said.When I heard her say that I tried to imagine Anthony Basilica, chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, saying the same thing, and I had to chuckle at the thought.

When I heard her say that I tried to imagine Anthony Basilica, chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, saying the same thing, and I had to chuckle at the thought.I might have tried calling Basilica Tuesday night to run the idea by him, but I figured, given the Democrats' poor showing, that he might already be home in bed, right where he was the October night when the top vote-getter in the last council election (he fell to seventh in Tuesday's voting) was busy locking the mayor out of his campaign headquarters.

I might have tried calling Basilica Tuesday night to run the idea by him, but I figured, given the Democrats' poor showing, that he might already be home in bed, right where he was the October night when the top vote-getter in the last council election (he fell to seventh in Tuesday's voting) was busy locking the mayor out of his campaign headquarters.

This is the opinion of David Collins.