Day: June 25, 2008

In three weeks, I will be attending the Netroots Nation Convention in Austin, Texas on behalf of Delaware Liberal.   This convention was formerly called Yearly Kos, and was held previously…

Back in November of last year on Daily Delaware, I wrote about the 62 District Strategy.  Like our presidential nominee, I completely stole that phrase from Howard Dean and modified it.   As someone famous once said, half of life is just showing up.  And in politics, it is three-fourths.  Thus, it is maddening whenever we fail as Democrats to contest a district seat.  Why would we ever want to allow a Republican to run unopposed anywhere?   For it is essentially giving them a free pass.

Well, the obvious answers are 1) campaigns cost money and require a significant committment from the candidate; and 2) some districts are drawn so hopelessly Republican that it is hard to even find viable candidates in the district to run.    Valid reasons, yes, but it still angers me when I see a district devoid of a Democratic challenger, for I feel as if democracy is denied the citizens of that district, and our better Democratic ideas will go unheard.

So, how are we doing in regards to the 62 District Strategy?    Well, first, let’s look at the job in front of us in the Senate.  There are 10 Senate races this year.   We Democrats control the Senate by 5 votes, 13 to 8. 

Senate (Republican-held seats in Red, Democratic seats in Blue)

Open Seat (4th-Greenville, Fairfax, Hockessin) (Copeland is running for Lt. Gov.)
Liane M. Sorenson (6th-Newark)
Open Seat (10th-Glasgow) (Amick is retiring)
Colin R. J. Bonini (16th-Dover South)
Open Seat (17th-Dover North) (Still is retiring)
F. Gary Simpson (18th-Milford, Lewes)

Anthony DeLuca (11th-Christina)
Margaret Rose Henry (2nd-Wilmington East)
Robert Marshall (3rd-Wilmington West)
Robert Venables (21st-Laurel)

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