Questions of Authenticity at the 41st RD Debate
Former Republican John Atkins and Democrat Barbara Lifflander met last night in a debate sponsored by the Delaware Manufactured Homeowners Association. Besides Carney-Markell and Lee-Protack, this primary is one of the more interesting ones in the state. As we all know, Mr. Atkins formerly represented this district as a Republican from 2003 until 2007. But on one fateful evening in late October 2006, Mr. Atkins drove back from Secrets in Ocean City, Maryland intoxicated, was pulled over by the Maryland police, and he used his General Assembly credentials to escape getting thrown in jail. The ethical consequences of that move, along with other sordid allegations of spousal abuse and the bribery of babysitters forced Mr. Atkins to resign in 2007 lest the House take formal action to remove him.
Barbara Lifflander was Mr. Atkin’s opposition in 2004 and 2006, and she ran in the special election to replace him in 2007 but lost to Republican Greg Hastings. Now in 2008, Atkins wants his job back. But, for some reason, he does not want to challenge Mr. Hastings in a primary. Instead, he wants to deceive his constituents and register as a Democrat so that he can challenge Hastings in the general election. Now, this is a deep mystery to me, because Atkins’ basic selling point on running to return to his old job is that he has deep contacts within the community and knows how to work Dover and the state government agencies so as to provide excellent constitutent services. Now, that is Atkins’ only argument for his campaign. But it is an argument that can help win in a Republican primary just as it can help him win a general election. Nevertheless, Atkins has registered as Democrat, and is has filed as Democrat for this race.
Thus, Barbara Lifflander is back for a third attempt. Normally I would not enjoy have a two time loser be my standard bearer again in 2008, but with morally challenged John Atkins pretending to be a Democrat, I openly welcome any true Democrat that wants to take him on.
The question of who is a real Democrat and who is not took center stage at last night’s debate:
On Monday, Lifflander and Atkins agreed that more must be done by the state representative from the 41st District on issues from government accountability to helping residents of manufactured-home parks get protections from the threat of unexpected rent increases.
The real differences came as Lifflander described herself as the “real Democrat” and raised questions about whether Atkins could be an effective representative given his past history.
“If your own party turned on you … you would not be an effective legislator,” she said. Then, turning to the audience, Lifflander said: “He’s saying now, forgive me … and I’ll be better than ever.”
Atkins then asked Lifflander why, if she is the real Democrat, did she run as an independent in an earlier race for 41st representative district?
The discussion was lively but polite.
Atkins said he is a registered Democrat but also a conservative.
“To me, it doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican,” he said.
Atkins also told the crowd he sold his trash-hauling business and no longer has ties with his former business partner, Robert Tunnell, the owner of several Long Neck-area manufactured-home parks.
Lifflander, who served on the board for the Manufactured Homeowners Association, pointed out to the audience that she was one of their neighbors.
“Our cause,” she said, “is always going to be my cause.”
To me, it does matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat. But what is more important to me, is the question of whether you are a liberal, a moderate, or a conservative. And John Atkins proudly announced that he is a conservative. Our Democratic party leadership, the leadership we all seek to replace, are all conservative Democrats. We have had enough of conservativism, whether it be in the Republican or Democratic form. Conservatism is what has failed America during the last 28 years. The principle of greed, the lack of accountability and personal responsibility, the unbalanced budgets, the trickle down economics that never trickled down, but instead made the rich richer and the poor poorer, the huge budget deficits and huge foreign debt, the notion that everyone is own their own instead of we are all in this together, the cowboy diplomacy, the attempts to destroy Social Security and Medicare, the taxbreaks to Big Oil, and the fake morality or at the very least the hypocritical morality that is best preached but never practiced. We have had enough of conservatism.
The question is not who is the real Democrat. The question is who is the real conservative. John Atkins is the real conservative.
Very well put.
Atkins has a base within the party and that base is one man: Bob Gilligan. He pushed for Atkins to get in the race and is selling out the party because Atkins might have a little bit of constituent services juice left to get elected with a “D” next to his name.
Gilligan thinks he needs Atkins to get the majority of the house so he has courted him at the party’s long term expense. If Atkins wins as a “D” it will be a very dark day for the party.
Instead of chasing drunk driving, spouse abusing, witness tampering, self described conservative Republicans – Gilligan should be helping real Democrats like Mike Barbieri and Rebecca Walker.
Fact check: Lifflander didn’t run in the special election in 2007. Lynn Rogers did.
Whoops. Thanks.
how this doesn’t get picked up by the National Blog sceene is beyond my comprehension.
republican, beats wife up after getting off from a DUI, loses his job, comes back as a Democrat to try and get the job he lost.
I mean how comedic is this?
You Mr. Atkins are a shitbag my man and don’t deserve to stand office and/or serve my state or my country.
The 41st is my district, and Barb Lifflander is a great candidate. In fact, she had a manufactured home in Pots Net. She organized all those homeowners against Tunnel, (Atkins personal friend), and Tunnel went after Barbara. He upped her rent to $13,000 or more, so she was forced to sell. No takers,so she tried to give the home to Habitat for Humanity or some other charity group. Nope, Tunnel wouldnt permit that either.
Barbara’s platform was very much in the public interest, while Atkins remains with special interest. I hope Barb can win this time. Atkins is the sleaziest wanna be in the state.
You guys need to drive through the forty first. He has signs in every front yard! Atkins will win this race. Barbara is a liberal nut! Why wouldnt he run as a conservative the district is 100% right wing? I also attended a forum last week as I stated in a previous thread. When will Hastings debate Atkins? Also it was Lynn Bullock in the special not Rogers.
And One more side tidbit for what it’s worth. I was at the debate last night Hastings received a huge sigh and boo and wasn’t even in attendance(surprise), but the thing that struck me was that the vice-chair of the Sussex County Republican Party was in attendance and was going from table to table stating he wished that he could get Greg Hastings to do more, and thought that Atkins would win. He then started campaigning for himself saying he would run against Atkins in 2010. Talk about confidence in your candidate?
Then that begs the question….if Hastings is so weak a candidate, why did Atkins not run against him in the Republican primary?
I can’t honestly answer that. But having grown up in the Oak Orchard/ Long Neck area, even the Dem. are very conservative. I am a poll worker at Indian River Fire Co.( the 6th of the 41st) very heavily registered democratic. I think Atkins had better numbers than Biden in past elections in my E.D. Like him or not he the best retail politician I have seen and my family has been involved in Delaware politics all our lives. I am a registered R but will be voting for John because he has always been there when the community needed him. Seriuosly guys Hastings has been invisible since taking office. Question for you guys. If Atkins wins and gives the Dems the majority at 21, would you rather have John at 21 or Greg at 21?
My prediction.
Atkins 68% Lifflander 32%
Atkins 61% Hastings 39%
I remember Atkins signs being all over the 41st during the special election, too. Of course, they magically disappeared from John’s garage and appeared in the district because he had “no involvement” in the write-in campaign.
I don’t see how any self-respecting woman in the 41st could vote for that shitbag after what he did.
Plus, Hastings has done more in one year in Dover (steroids, eminent domain, cleaning up the power plant) than John did in 4.
Plus, with the Dem establishment in the 41st lined up against him, it’ll be awful tough even to beat Lifflander.
If the 41st elects John Atkins, they deserve to be the laughinsgtock of Sussex County and the state, and they will be.
I’d rather have Greg and get the 21st elsewhere.
Honestly.
Here’s my question: Do the Democrats have to allow him into their caucus? I honestly don’t know; can you help here, DD?
Well, if Gilligan is honestly behind his recruitment, and since Gilligan will be speaker if we get a majority, Atkins will be in the caucus. Indeed, Gilligan will want Atkins’ vote for him as Speaker if he is challenged by another Democrat.
But are they allowed to bar him? Because if they are, that’s the public campaign that should be waged — getting Gilligan to swear he won’t seat Atkins in the caucus. If he refuses, he gets tarred with the Atkins brush.
Al, you’re a fool if you think that the majority of people elect him and the assembly won’t seat him. What would happen another special election? What would happen if WE elected him again? Would they still refuse to seat him? For Gods sake he drove drunk and was arrested for a misdemeanor.
Prediction, I just googled Hastings.
Steroids was a task force that has been considered useless by alot of people I’ve spoken with. Eminent domain was a Williams bill from Wilmington. He simply sponsored a bill for the power plant, no action.
Anyone seen these signs?
Trash men for Atkins
Alcoholics Anonymous for Atkins
Defense lawyers for Atkins
Bar owners for Atkins
Wife Beaters for Atkins
Bail Bondsman for Atkins
High school graduates for Atkins
Unemployed for Atkins
Probation Officers for Atkins
No, but I haven’t seen any Hastings signs either?
Hastings wasn’t there last night potsmokinggal, because he was at a funeral, I was there, I asked where he was. And from what I hear, Hastings has no problem debating the uneducated drunk driving wife abuser, apparently Hastings has already been in forums with the town drunk.
The best part about last night was Atkins pretending to be the best friend of the manufactured home owners. He was Rob Tunnel’s business partner for many years, forcing the residents of Tunnel’s trailer parks to use his trash service. He can try to distance himself from that, but as usual, it will be another Atkins lie, just like “Alcohol was not a factor.” Wake up, John, your excuse about Tunnel doesn’t cut it in light of years of facts to the contrary. Just because you don’t hang around drunk at Baywood anymore doesn’t mean you and Tunnel aren’t best buddies.
Atkins is no Democrat, he wants prayer in public school and pushed legislation to bring back paddling.
Democrats need to squash this problem now and we can start by demanding to know what other Democrats are supporting this pig. It’s not just Gilligan, Atkins obviously has Sussex Dem support, and we have a right to know who it is….
I haven’t broken from the party’s candidates in over 30 years, but I’ll happily vote for a republican before I vote for John Atkins.
If I was Barbara, I’d demand that John order the release of the Millsboro police file from that night so people can see what really happened, not lying “no alcohol was involved” WGMD version.
Potnetsgirl: do you work for Tunnel? Dagsboro Dem is absolutely correct. And no, he does not have 100% support, only the people he has promised street fund monies to pave their private drives.
He was at the Disabled Vets Club/and the Legion, promising to pave their parking lot. A private entity with public street funds? Atkins has always abused the street fund money. I call that “vote buying”. Guess he never heard of the Wilmington Street fund scandals?
Garbage in, garbage out! He and Tunnel are as thick as thieves, if the homeowners are bamboozled with that nut, they get what they deserve.
His father owns a manufactured housing community and he is supportive of the park owners not the residents.
My family and neighors are certainly not supporting that wife beating boob. Guess John still wants a couple more years to get that State pension, huh John.
Look i’m not defending anyone here. I’m just telling you what i’m seeing and hearing. Liz, who’s father owns a park? And why are you mentioning Still? Are you drinking again?
Dagsboro Dem, or Millsboro mom, Demand the tapes (all the same) Wow, everyone hear is saying on local radio, including the host, how Hastings has declined every opportunity to be on the air with Atkins.
“Fact check: Lifflander didn’t run in the special election in 2007. Lynn Rogers did.”
The Democrat candidate in the Special Election to fill the seat was Lynn Bullock. Also, Atkins was first elected in 2002, not in 2004 …
Why would Hastings go on the air with Atkins and the brainless hit men at WGMD in an obvious setup? And why would Hastings debate someone who might not even be on the ballot in November? Me, I’m waiting for the Atkins-Lifflander debate on WGMD. When’s that?
LOL, I guess I need a fact-check too!! Thanks, Matt!
I would hope that Atkins wouldn’t win but if you look at downstate voting patterns, a prayer-in-school kind of guy is just the type of Dem that can win down there. No matter that he gets physical with his wife and drinks too much. It’s a down state thing. I’m glad I live north. As for Barbara, I wish her well but I think she needs to lose the Aunt Bea hat. Kind of scarey to look at…
No worries Mike, it’s tough to keep tabs on the entire state. Pass granted …
“Al, you’re a fool if you think that the majority of people elect him and the assembly won’t seat him.”
They have to seat him — my question is whether the Democrats must let him caucus with them, simply because he’s running as a Democrat.
Try to keep up, please.
So does anyone know the answer to this?
“For Gods sake he drove drunk and was arrested for a misdemeanor.”
Get off the bong, potsmokinggal (braindead in the 41st) the OC cops told him to get a ride home when he was well over the limit (after he flashed his “I’m a Representative ID around”,) and when the drunk got back into Delaware he got back behind the wheel and drove, endangering all of the people in the district that he pretends to care about, then went home and offensively touched his wife so much the Millsboro cops had to be called. I hear it has to be pretty bad for Atkins wife to consider anything offensive.
And wasn’t he in OC telling the cops he could get a Delaware State Police officer to drive him home? I guess Atkins considers our state cops his lackeys.
Atkins thinks he is above the law, and the fact that he’s running again a year and a half after he totally thumbed his nose at more laws than I can count shows he still thinks he’s above the law.
I’m sure he’ll be on WGMD talking about “forgiveness” and Gaffney, the fake Christian drunkard, will have him on twice a week.
And its not Atkins daddy who owns the trailer park, its his sicko wife’s daddy.
I’d vote for a feces throwing monkey to represent me in the 41st before I voted for Atkins.
I will represent the 41st better than a feces throwing monkey.
That is my pledge.
Al, I have no answer to that. I suppose if the entire caucus votes to not seat him in the caucus, he can be ejected from the caucus if he is elected.
That possibility is HIGHLY doubtful, as I have talked about before.
Not only should she demand the tapes, Lifflander should demand the police report from those “5 bad hours.”
DagsboroDem, you’re full of it. Prove to all of us that his in-laws own a mobile home park. Location, Name of park. I think you have him mixed up with Rep. Hocker. He is the park owner. Looks like Atkins isn’t the only one here stretching the truth.
“I suppose if the entire caucus votes to not seat him in the caucus, he can be ejected from the caucus if he is elected.”
I hope you see what I”m driving at, DD: Gilligan should be pressured to not seat him with the caucus.
I pledge to do a better job than John Atkins.
Again Al, it’s not up to Gilligan (who ever he is). It’s up to the voters if they choose to elect him. What do you suggest they do, seat him in the corner and make him write sentences? Remember when someone is elected, do they really have a boss other than the voters of their district?
Thankfully, the 41st won’t have that problem.
From what I hear, there’s a poll out there that shows Atkins down against Hastings 61%-15% among likely voting females in the 41st.
Yea, and i’m sure their campaign would be sharing that info with a anon. poster on a blog.