Details are still coming in and being pieced together by our police reporters. But i can tell you that Ralph was well known by most local GOP players. Phone lines and e-mails were lit up all afternoon in political circles. In fact, I was on the phone with Mayor Rich Crotty when a party official came to his office to deliver the news in person.

I've known Ralph for about a decade -- going back to 1998 when he worked with John Ostalkiewicz in his failed bid for Orange County chairman. Since then, he worked on campaigns for the likes of Dean Cannon, Andy Gardiner, Pete Barr, John Quinones, Mildred Fernandez and others.

Ralph ate, slept and breathed politics. And like many of those who make up the rare and somewhat strange breed of people who are political consultants, he was part of campaigns that sometimes did goofy things. But one thing that made Ralph a bit different was that he was able to admit said goofiness. I remember having breakfast with him once and asking about a mailer that he'd sent out for one of his candidates that had struck me as strange. So I said something along the lines of: "Come on, Ralph, you couldn't have possibly believed that thing was going to work -- or even felt good about trying it." For a brief moment, he started to protest. But only for a moment. Then he smiled and started laughing at himself, saying something like: "No, I didn't. And when we put that piece in the mail, I knew it was over. We had just launched our last Hail Mary."

That candidate obviously lost. But, as you saw above, he had many that won. Lately, Ralph was gearing up for a special legislative election. And when we touched base Monday, he figured he had a tough campaign ahead ... and was ready for it.

Thoughts and prayers for Ralph's friends and family.

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