Complex sentence: At the time the senate district was regarded as a stronghold of the Democratic Party, thus it was seen as a significant achievement that Birney garnered all of the votes in the district within Bay County except for five.
Split into simpler sentences: At the time, the senate district was regarded as a stronghold of the Democratic Party. Thus it was seen as a significant achievement that Birney garnered all of the votes in the district within Bay County except for five.