Deep Thought
Tomorrow’s Dem Primary Results Will Be Felt For 30 Years
The Republican party is an empty shell right now and given the demographic shift that the state has been through, it will not provide a significant challenge to the Democrats for at least 30 years.
The Democratic Governor that is chosen tomorrow will set the stage for Delaware’s political culture for a generation.
How do you think the two gubenatorial candidates will change the politics in Delaware? I really think the change will come when some of the long time leaders, like Adams for example, leave office.
The Governor can work for Adams and Co. or he can make the old boys work for the citizens of Delaware by not letting them have stuff they they want until they do.
It is politics 101.
And you look with delight to the prospect of 1 party rule?
Jason in 2008 = Tom DeLay in 2004.
Permanent majority? I think you ought to wait until you actually win to make that claim.
Jason, do you even know where the door of Leg Hall is? If you really think the Governor can get his way with the legislature by bully tactics and hard-nosing, you really don’t understand the dynamics of the balance of power between the branches in this State. The Chief Executive of this state is among the weakest in all the states. Of course whoever wins is going to have to play ball with the powers that be in the legislature. And that includes Jack Markell. And he knows that, too. The veto pen will only get you so far as a Governor before you realize that all of your budget initiatives somehow will not make it through the Joint Finance Committee. And all of your legislative initiatives somehow get bottled up in committee. And your appointments get held up for bizarre reasons. Hard-nosed politics is a losing game for any Governor in this State as a long term strategy. You will be able to hold the line issue by issue, perhaps, but you’ll not budge the beast unless it is ready to be moved.
1. A state that is resolutely blue at the presidential level can elect red governors, sometimes repeatedly [recently Conn, Mass, RI, NY, Vt, Hawaii]. Blagojevich was first Dem governor elected in Ill since ’72.
Similarly, red presidential states can be fertile with blue governors. Idaho elected Democratic governors from 1970-94. In 2002, you could drive from New Orleans to Jersey City, via several different routes, and not pass through a state with a GOP governor.
Bill James writes of the Law of Competitive Balance. It happens in politics just as in baseball.
2. Triumphalism is a bad trait, in theology or politics. This thread would not have been launched had Alan Levin run for governor.
3. Thurman Adams will be retired in 3 to 5 years. Until then, the next governor, whoever he is, will work closely with him, while keeping his eye on a successor.
Jason, that door works both ways. In fact, in this kind of battle the legislature has more power since they’re the ones who actually pass the laws. A governor can’t enact many changes without the legislature. There are legislators there with permanent seats that don’t have to worry about re-election chances, they can do what they want.
“it will not provide a significant challenge to the Democrats for at least 30 years”
Just like the GOP said about the Congressional Democrats in 1995.
I believe we are in an age of much more fickle voting trends and a far more compressed political ‘pendulum’ cycle than days of yore. No more ‘permanent’ majorities, God willing (or even Nancy Willing).
Plus, the thought of living under the one-party autocracy of the Delaware Democrats for the next 30 years is quite literally nauseating.
“Triumphalism is a bad trait, in theology or politics.”
Amen to that.
And let’s not forget that the Legislature sets the boundary lines that set up those “seats for life”. Both D’s in the race for Gov know what they will have to do after taking office. It will be a harder road back for Markell, but don’t think for a second that he won’t take it. He’ll get some of what he campaigned on in return for toeing the line where it counts most – what the legislature wants.
Some of you seem to forget that Markell is a “party first” guy, too, despite the primary and his supposed “progressive” stance. Don’t you remember the deal that was cut to make him Lt. Gov? The real headline story was not that Blount soured the deal, but that Jack was going to go for it in the first place. He’s as maverick-y as……
Jack will bring the change we need by using a bully pulpit. And Pete Schwartzkopf will help him.