The U.S. economy added around 212,000 jobs and the unemployment rate fell to 8.5%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This graph may be preaching to the choir, but here is a reminder on how Republican administrations have been so incompatible with job creation.

Some news from the Republican primary circus:

The anti-Mitt Romney wheel landed on Rick Santorum who finished a close second in the Iowa Caucus on Tuesday night. A mere eight votes separated the former Massachusetts governor — long considered the GOP frontrunner despite the rise and fall of many other candidates — and upstart Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator. Ron Paul finished a close third place.

The disappointing finishes of Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann may have implications for the top three candidates. Perry announced that he is going to Texas to “reassess” his candidacy and rumors abound that Bachmann may be dropping out in the near future. Their dropping out would free up votes, money and endorsements for probably Santorum, who has positioned himself as the  ultra-conservative anti-Romney.

The attention now turns to New Hampshire, where Mitt Romney has been polling extremely well since the beginning of the race. Romney, of course, was governor in a neighboring state, and owns a house in the Granite State. Santorum’s social conservatism may be limited in the traditionally more libertarian, fiscally conservative bastion.

The real contest may come on January 21st with the South Carolina primary. It is far too early to predict that race but last night’s strong Santorum showing may be indicative of a larger trend in the social conservative-friendly Palmetto State.

In brighter news for progressives, the Iowa Caucus also turned out 25,000 supporters for President Obama. The campaign noted: “We knew that the Iowa caucus was an opportunity to test our campaign organization and expand our volunteer base as we move toward November, and we’re overwhelmed with the results.”

The race for mayor of Ithaca is on.

Svante Myrick ’09 handily won the Democratic nomination for Ithaca Mayor on Tuesday. He won with a plurality or 46 percent — or 858 votes — of the vote. Pam Mackesey ’89, largely viewed as the frontrunner, came in second place with 694. J.R. Clairborne received 310.

A total of 1,867 votes were cast. Only 5 went to write-in candidates.

“The rest of the campaign starts tomorrow,” he wrote on the campaign’s Facebook page.

Myrick had to contend with his close ties to Cornell University — such as being a staff member in the Office of Alumni Affairs until the summer. Still, he managed to outraise and outspend his rivals throughout the campaign. According to the Ithaca Independent, Myrick raised $20,918 to August 30th, around $3,500 more than Mackesey.

As of July, there were more than 48,000 registered voters in Tompkins County, of which nearly 22,400 are Democrats. Only those in Ithaca voted in the mayoral primary yesterday.

Myrick will face independents Christopher Kusznir and Wade Wykstra as well as the Republican (and self-declared supporter of the extremist Tea Party) candidate Janis Kelly ’71 in the Nov. 8 general election. Clairborne will also run on the Independence Party platform.

Ithaca has not had a Republican mayor since 1983. Myrick, a dedicated campaigner, will likely have the edge in the general election.