Andrew Staton expected to run for new Senate seat.
Andrew Staton, a Rehoboth Beach realtor and chairman of the 14th District Democratic Committee, announced today on his Facebook page that he is “considering a run for the new State Senate Seat covering Dewey, Rehoboth, Lewes, and Milton.” Joan Deaver and Pete Schwartzkopf have decided to skip the race and remain in their current respective positions, and have given Staton the nod to go ahead with his own campaign.
For those upstate that don’t know Andy, he arrived in Delaware in 2003 to pursue his real estate career, and co-founded the Beach to Bay Real Estate Center. Prior to relocating to Delaware, Station was a management consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton in Washington, D.C., and was an assistant to then-Delegate (now Supreme Court Justice) William C. Mims in Virginia. He received his Bachelors degree in Political Science from Longwood University and a Masters degree in Business and Technology Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and is a certified real estate auctioneer. He also serves on the Delaware Real Estate Commission, the Sussex County Association of Realtors Government Affairs Committee, the Beebe Medical Center Advisory Board, and the Sussex County YMCA Board of Governors. Most recently, he was appointed by Governor Markell to the Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council (DEFAC).
He is also a fitness and weight loss advocate, and has recently established a Foundation to fund training and education programs that focus on the prevention of childhood obesity. The fight against obesity is a personal one for Staton, as Staton himself has lost approximately 150 pounds after having once weighed over 300. Staton’s weight loss and fitness story has been featured a number of media outlets, including the News Journal, Men’s Health magazine, Ironman.com, Genre Magazine, Men’s Health Book: Men’s Guide to Fitness, Health, Weight Loss, and Nutrition, and the Cape Gazette.
What remains to be seen is whether Senator David McBride (D-13th), a resident of the newly created 6th district, will switch districts so that he actually represents the district in which he lives.
Once he declares his campain, we look forward to sit down with Staton to discuss the issues.
a gay soon to be mayor AND a gay soon to be senator? My, we have come far.
Who cares if he is openly gay! Its the hypocrites that need to be outed.
Wait…what?
I have it on good authority that Andy is also……right handed.
Two things:
1) Upon first look at his picture, he looks like a young Joe Kennedy. (please confirm)
2) Proclaiming he’s gay at the onset? Would you leave a separate comment if he was married? (I don’t care)
Well, I’m sure he’s swell. The impression I get from the link is that he’s far too busy to do the boring work of legislation and the fact he got a Masters from RPI in something businessey makes me HOWL with laughter. They keep everything there that is less hard science than quantum physics in a shed full of art supplies, but, hey. 😉
I look forward to hearing something less carpet-baggy from him. I’m not yet his target voter, so he has time to refine his message.
no – not Joe Kennedy…I dont see it…
Gay or straight is irrelevant,(to the forward thinking voter anyway) what is relevant is a tie to developers and rea lestate interests.
Plus, hiding your orientation in Delaware is like hiding an elephant in your living room, its disingenious and would not go over well –
His partner, like all politicians partners hopefully, will be front and center and not hidden away. This message of inclusiveness and pride in WHO you are and WHAT you stand for I think speaks to your ability to stand up and be counted.
RBKing gets knocked on being tight with the land owners and realtors all the time – wonder if the same shots will be taken at Andy?
I will have a wait and see attitude, I would like to know his policy positions on a whole HOST of issues before I committ. I that is how I decide on a candidate, I have never voted straight party, gender, or orientation. Its all about the issues.
Yeah, I am not even sure why the first thing we are talking about is whether he is gay. It is about as relevant as the fact that I am balding. I am sure Phil’s intentions in bringing that up are good, and not bigoted. Right, Phil.
And yes, I look forward to sitting down with him and discussing the issues, and his stances on them.
I brought it up because i really never thought I’d see openly gay men and women actually winning elections in sussex county, even in Rehoboth. Looks like I did indeed live long enough.
Good. I thought, and hoped, that was your intent. But we have some right wing trolls here. So I can never be sure.
John Brady won county wide for Recorder of Deeds. Openly gay, and won on the Republican’t ticket.
Well Phil while you have been living a long time you have not been paying much attention. One openly gay man has been elected County wide (not just in the east) not once not twice but 3 yes 3 Times. John Brady
I never counted John Brady because 90% of the sussex republicans who voted for him didn’t know he is gay.
“I never counted John Brady because 90% of the sussex republicans who voted for him didn’t know he is gay.”
What rock have you been living under? He was challenged in two GOP primaries – for register in chancery and then recorder of deeds – precisely BECAUSE he is gay.
Phil, You are at best disingenuous, at worst the hypocrite that you were temporarily. Because he dd not use the fact of his orientation on billboards it doesn’t count? Don’t you think the real bigots Lke Sam Wilson, St. Bodie Girl etc made sure their cronies knew???? John was once slimed with anti gay notes tied to rocks and thrown on lawns n Georgetown. You right nobody knew. Idiot!
Good luck, Andy!
When I was running, Andy was immensely helpful with advice, support, and anything I needed. He’s a great guy and would be an amazing senator.
I look forward to helping him win the seat.
Jim.
Anon, good point and one of those was a Democratic Primary by those open minded Dems in Gumboro etc. This is no reflection on Mr. Staton merely to point out that on this point he is NOT a trail blazer.
*shrug*
Phil, class act, throw a bomb and go hide, the word for that is Punk
JP Connor, Jr.: Shut up. You are picking a fight here and throwing rhetorical bombs yourself. I will take Phil at his word, and unless you have contrary evidence, so should you.
Delaware Dem,
Take *my* word for it. There is PLENTY of contrary evidence. Everyone in Sussex County, Republicans especially, know John Brady’s orientation. He faced two Republican primary challenges (Brad Layfield and Corrina McAllister), and then another in ’08 in the Democratic primary. (That’s the one JPC referred to.) Only someone utterly ignorant of the facts … or someone who doesn’t read THIS BLOG* … can say that folks in Sussex didn’t know Brady is gay.
JPC knows Sussex politics. When was the last time you ventured down here?
* – http://delawareliberal.net//2008/07/16/is-the-de-gop-snubbing-john-brady/
OK, but I am talking about Phil’s intent. You all are attacking Phil with no evidence of Phil’s intent. Calling him disingenuous, a hypocrite. Enough.
And I will defer to you and JPC regarding Sussex politics. That was not my point and I have never said I was an expert, even though I am there often as my parents live in the Dagsboro area and both are involved in Sussex politics.
Just cease the personal attacks on Phil.
Phil posted something demonstrably false – there’s plenty of contrary evidence if you’re familiar with the situation – and then just *shrugged.* I agree with JPC – that’s punkish behavior, IMHO.
Some of you are starting to sound like the whack jobs on DP with your childish bickering!
Sorry to offend your sensibilities, AQC. It comes from my inherent Sussex inferiority complex. I get my dander up whenever people start spreading ignorance about my county.
Wow – I’m thrilled someone else used “St. Bodie Girl” to refer to Bodie.
i’m ok with all of you being correct and me being completely wrong. good for you, friends.
Calling El Som….Isn’t this just the type of info that informs the redistricting process? It sounds to me like the Dems have their act together.
Wouldn’t surprise me if a deal was made with the Senate leadership here.
Pete’s preferred candidate gets his district, and the House D’s hire one of DeLuca’s relatives for a top position.
Seriously.
“Take *my* word for it. There is PLENTY of contrary evidence. Everyone in Sussex County, Republicans especially, know John Brady’s orientation…”
Truth. It was widely known way before John ran for any office. He’s a good man, one of the few lawyers I could tolerate. I’d vote for him anytime, for any office, regardless of party.
Regarding Staton: Orientation shouldn’t matter, unless he is waving that flag to get elected. Nothing really wrong with that either. His worst attribute is he’s realtor with good potential of becomming a closet developer.
Phil is a disembodied name with no actual Identity here. What I did do was point out statements he/she made that are patently false. Then the disembodied name crawled back n his/her disembodied hole:). Simple point John Brady is a trail blazer as a gay Winner of Sussex County Elections. Mr. Staton who i know to be a good guy with a lot of friends is not. He also stands to gain from the work Mr. Brady has done and that’s a good thing Leaders lead so that more leaders can also lead.
I do not like, and would not trust Staton. More than glossy weight-loss mag articles will (hopefully) come to light.
I like Andy, but think its foolish for anyone to announce to run before the lines are finalized. Yes I know Andy is a D and the Ds are drawing the lines. Im just saying another D with political connections and aspirations could play with the map before its done. Thats happened before.
Miscreant, How does one gt to be a closet developer wouldn’t ya want to build a whole house?
El Som: methinks you’re a little out there on the Deluca Pete Deal thought. The lines make sense and Pete has a minimum of 2 political friends in the district who may run, he will probably need to stay neutral. he did not have to make any deals to create a 2-3 way primary:)
Well, Joe, someone cut a deal to enable one of Tony D’s relatives to get a nice job in the House, right about the time that the lines were being done. Pure coincidence? Maybe, but this has that malodorous deal smell to it.
oh I don’t doubt a deal could have happened just question the elements;) the practice of house members placing hacks in the senate staff and vice versa is not exactly new. if there was a deal Pete could have done better IMHO.
Small price to pay, really, for getting his guy a great shot at the Senate.
Plus, there could easily be other elements to the deal.
Chris Weeks would be smart to run for the Senate rather than another shot at Pete.
Im OK with the Discussion and dealing with issues in the party – debate is good..
however, PLZ, PLZ, PLZ do not even come near the bickering and insane baloney on DP – lets do that off-line 🙂
no Achillies heels in public for that merry band to try to exploit…
Now, as far as the new Senate District IF it happens – we have potentials in :
Eric Swanson – appeal across party line, sucessfully ran for office and did a good job in it
Jud Bennett – been around a long time, conservative yes, but has appeal as well
Bob Frederick – been waiting a while for another run, good guy…proven leadership – I think our problem is:
Too Many good folks – and that is a good thing…
and there are more as well – but let them pop up as they will. and we shoud not discount the potential R candidates, if there are any sane ones in the New Districts.
Not to dis Andy at all, just throwing other names out there as potentials…
Not good to limit one’s options
Chris weeks is unelectable in that District – he is a wing-nut and COD schill
he is also a 9/12er and St.Bodie’s boy…
See MJ – TWO folks used it now 😉
I guess but my bet would be on Brady in a primary, practical in the trenches experience outweighs a resume in my book and Brady’s resume is good as well. If Brady wins he owes Pete nothing. The wild card is what the Gov. does, real estate commission s one thing DEFAC s quite another. mmmmmmmmmm
Aoine, I dont know Weeks at all, but he did come within a couple percentage points of knocking of the House Majority Leader without much of an organized campaign. To say he is unelectable is premature. People say hes well liked in the Rehoboth/Dewey Chamber of Commerce?
I don’t think John is a credible candidate anymore. Unfortunately his health always seems to hold himm back. And he struggles to raise the money necessary for a primary and general election. Also, Alma Roach’s primary against John had nothing to do with his sexual orientation.
Well 39 what did it have to do with? Just askin’. Mighty facile in writing a guy off indicates that to the contrary he may well be too credible for the comfort of some;)
OK but just remember that was in th OLD 14th – those areas are gone to RBK in the new plan – the NEW 14th solidifies Petes position!
I heard Weeks and he is not only far right but mean and petty and rude to boot – and self-important and pretentious
John brady is well liked, but….he has issues… but also he;s a weeble – he wobbles but never falls down – no offense meant to him – just an analogy
@Aoine, no to Jud Bennett. In some ways he makes Atkins look like a flaming liberal.
ok changing gears. Can an R win n the District? Jud? Who? Anybody/
That I agree with – but he makes sense to the R’s that are not far right wing nuts
ROTFLMAO – imagine Don Ayotte running…..or Rick…
armchair warriors…
I think it had to with Alma wanting to be the recorder of deeds. I think the world of John, but right now I think Andy has a bigger network of volunteers and potential contributors, particularly outbof state donors. I think he could raise a lot of money quickly. But I think he is an unknown outside of rehoboth, so johns bigger name recognition could carry Lewes Milton and west of route 1, which might turn a primary his way. Who knows.
At JP -I dont know any R’s electable or dumb enough to run – all my R friends are smarter than that 😉
Oh, ok. I thought you were proposing Bennett as a Democratic candidate. Yeah, he can run as a Republican.
Swanson’s a good guy, but he isn’t interested in running for anything. Besides, in this political climate, he’d get tagged as a double-dipper in a heartbeat.
I believe Bennett has said he’s not getting involved again as a candidate. (Besides, he’s a Republican.) I understand there are some family health issues that weigh on that decision.
Frederick hasn’t done anything in the public eye for a decade now. In politics, especially with the thousandtrillions of newcomers, that’s an epoch.
“weigh in on that decision” – good pun…
might be right about Frederick and Swanson
HMMMMM…Cory Marshall Steele??
you obviously don’t get Jud’s email sorta blog;) he has floated hs interest. We shall see.
Sorry, that wasn’t a pun. I wasn’t poking fun at Jud’s size. There are other issues involved which I’m not going to get into.
Mark Baker could run. I think he onlymlost to Joan Deaver because crossed party lines and supported her. If I remember correctly the race was close despite the huge Obama turnout. Don’t count out the Milton Lewes area voting heavily republican. Both towns have had republican representatives and senatorsnsince the last redistricting. Ultimately obama and Biden at the top of the ticket should pull out the necessary democratic voters, but carrying rehoboth and dewey is going to be enough.
floated, weighed ….interesting turn of phrases guys….especially seeing who we are talking about
Jud would have to build a lot of bridges back into the Republican’t party to run.
Swanson is happy in his job.
Frederick talks a lot, but never jumps in.
Staton is not known as a developer down here. He sells alot of existing homes. It would be refreshing to have a business owning democrat run, rather than a perceived double dipper.
Weeks is a bitter guy on the stump and not very nice. Weeks peaked last election. The tea party was on the march and he rode the wave. This is a progressive area and even a lot of Republicants down here are not from here, so they are rather moderate on the god guns n gays stuff.
Being pro-development in Lewes is bad, he probably wouldn’t make it through the primary. Noone else in the district cares, but in town Lewes has this illusion that their town still needs to look like the 1850’s, and a field turning into houses next to another area full of houses that used to be a field ruins that image.. and they’re all old fart primary voters.. so he’s screwed.
And he’s not Sussex born and raised? He might as well hang it up now.
Actually, Alma’s candidacy had a lot to do with John Brady being gay. Sam Wilson was secretly pushing her candidacy, and we all know how much of a homophobe he is.
homophobe?? I dont know the exact word for it but he’s a anything but white, male, straight, protestant-phobe
its gotta look like him, walk like him, talk like him and be as “ignirant” as him, before it passes his scratch n sniff test
Don Ayotte believes a Conservative can win in the 20th.
Maybe Aoine and I have the same Republican friends, because I don’t know anyone who thinks it would be anything but a waste of money running in the 20th or SD 6 in 2012.
Reasonable candidates would face a primary from the right, and republicans can’t afford the bruising in that area.
Sam was the notes tied to rocks mastermind in years past. This drum beat that Brady is “washed up” clearly demonstrates the opposite. Brady is the only guy who has gone into the lions den and won. You might also want to check the ED by ED vote in the 14th in ’10. In how many of those did he out poll Pete? Proven vote getter? Yes. Politically couregeous? Yes. Washed up? Not so much:)
Andy is a great guy with alot of energy and ideas. I wish him the best!
You have to have a lot of energy to go from 317 to 165 pounds. Other than this post and the ‘Mens Health’ write up – there is not much out there on the guy.
SussexDem39 –
Baker’s got his eyes set on the county council seat. He’s the protoge of Vance, Sam and Rich Collins. They want him to knock off Deaver, who only won by 300 votes last time, and get rid of the thorn in their side.
Staton is not known as a developer down here in Sussex. He mostly sells existing homes,and he does a great job at that.
As for the “ya gotta be born here to win here” that doesn’t always work. Schwartzkopf and Brady are not from here. Neither is Joan Deaver. Pedigree is more important inland. And even inland Sussex countians are changing. They embraced O’Donnell and Urquhart, both transplants.
OK SussexAnon – you do know that Pete retired from DSP after 20 or 25 years? right? – and Brady has been here so long he’s part of the backdrop.??
While Andy has been here since 2003 – a mere 8 years….aeons of difference.
Pedigree is important, as is name recognition – and the inland Sussex Countians that supported COD and Urquhart, that are 9/12ers and Tea Prty teajadists are also transplants – you obviolusly have not been to a 9/12 meeting – they brought their paranoia with them.
Native Sussex Countians are smarter than that.
The 9/12 ers are not all transplants. COD didnt win this county with just the transplanted 9/12 vote.
Joan Deaver is hardly a lifer by your metric. A small margin win is still a win.
Staton being a newbie to Sussex is a valid concern. But in the time he has been here he has built a successful real estate business and owns at least one other business here in Sussex.
Native Sussex Countians know the difference between a transplant and a from’ere. Even people who have lived here for 25 years, are still not native to the been-here-for-generations natives.
This is a reasonably progressive area. Old Sussex rules don’t necessarily apply here.
SussexAnon: Unless Millsboro was kicked out of Mussex Pete is from Sussex County
i dont think it’s a big deal, but Pete was born in Philly.
Joe Biden was born in Scranton, Grew up in Claymont.Tom Carper born in W.Va did not get to DE until Graduate School. Bill Roth was born in Montana…..I can go on…..
JP – “Mussex”? 😉
Aoine wrote: Native Sussex Countians are smarter than that. … ooohahahahaaheheheheee… *wiping tears away from eyes* OK, I’ll let that one go.
SussexAnon: Not all, but a whole hell of a lot of the 9/12ers are transplants. Lots and lots of retirees among them.
However, I agree with you that the old rules don’t apply *in this new district.* Milton, Lewes, Rehoboth and Dewey are the most progressive areas south of the canal. (OK, Dewey people are just batshit crazy, but we’ll leave that one out of the mix.)
Staton, Pete and Joan wouldn’t be able to win a race for dogcatcher in Greenwood/Bridgeville/Lincoln. The geographic divisions down here are deep.
anon; I am going to weight watchers to cure a bad case of “Fat Fingers” 🙂 i have roots in Dewey that go back 55 years I’ll give you bat shit crazy!
Pete was born in Philly, but grew up in Ocean View, married moved to Millsboro and the Rehoboth. Didnt Brady win all these elections as a R(Im not sure)? Word that I heard from the Rs is that Urquhart will run for the new Senate seat but hasnt ruled out running against Pete either. For what its worth……..
@jpconnorjr, swing by West St. look north side on roof. I’ll climb down to shake your hand. 17 was a very good year.
“Staton, Pete and Joan wouldn’t be able to win a race for dogcatcher in Greenwood/Bridgeville/Lincoln. The geographic divisions down here are deep”…
ya mean racist divides too dont ya?? 🙂
thats one part of Sussex where Native Born Sussex Countians have not caught up to the 19th century..
we have a tale of two counties – eastern Sussex and western Sussex
and then there’s the land time forgot….bridgeville/greenwood. actually haveing a Bodenweiser rule them would be a hoot
Speaking of Bat Shit Crazy does anyone think that the new Sussex GOP will run anyone for any of these seats that isn’t a teabagging homophobe who wants to force public school children into accepting Jesus Christ as their savior?
Look at the only people stepping up for leadership: Bodenweiser (his picture appears next to the definition of BAT SHIT CRAZY), John Reilly who worked on COD’s campaign (nuff said), and Glen “Fuck Jefferson, Separation of Church and State was Hitler’s Idea” Urquhart. Any republican that has even brief moments of rational thought will be soundly rejected.
Russ McCabe will win the 20th, and someone needs to talk Jim Westoff into moving a little east to the new 6th SD. Westoff is a precious gift that should not be squandered.
How will Urkel both run for office and serve as the Sussex rethuglican chair?
MJ, not sure, but I heard it from Hocker.
Was Hocker huffing on gas fumes at the time?
Thanks anon, for the kind words.
Unfortunately, we bought our house right at the top of housing bubble. So the Westhoffs won’t be moving for a while.
Plus, there are plenty of good people already in that district who would make good senators.
But if someone gives us a house in Rehoboth, I’ll run my fool head off. Just kidding.
Hocker lives on gas fumes and undersized female crabs every summer