Copeland ♥ Markell
Poor Bill Lee. He must feel jilted at the altar. Or thrown under the bus, and run over a few times. Either analogy will do.
Copeland has said repeatedly that he is an “independent voice” willing to work with any governor — a campaign slogan he said illustrates his willingness to work across party lines and appeal to voters of all parties.
Many of Copeland’s campaign signs omit his political party, a decision the Republican said was to show his ability to work across party lines.
“You want to make sure people listen to what you have to say and don’t get caught up in party labels,” Copeland said.
Copeland said that, while he sees Lee as the best gubernatorial candidate, he would work well with Markell if that’s what voters decide.
“He and I would work together very well,” Copeland said. “There are some big problems facing the state with jobs and the economy.”
Look, Matt Denn is going to win. The Democratic wave is just too strong. If this were 2004, or 2000, Copeland may have had a very good chance. But not this year. Before the WHYY poll, I was concerned that the race was close. But with the result of that poll being 53-38, and with the Denn campaign saying its internal polling showed him about two points higher, the race looks good for Denn.
What Charlie Copeland has done is rather amazing. No doubt his internal polling, like Matt Denn’s showed the race closer in margins than any other race in Delaware other than the insurance commissioner race. So he had a choice. Does he just be the dutiful Republican soldier for Lee, going down in defeat this time, knowing that he will live to fight another day? Or does he go for broke this time and try to win? Copeland is the only rising star left in the Delaware Republican party. He is their bench, bullpen, and farm system. He will be running for Governor in 2012 regardless of who wins what this year. Indeed, he may even be running for Congress in 2010 if the Republicans wish to prevent Beau Biden from winning. So the future for Copeland was bright, no matter if he lost this time.
But Copeland decided to go for it all this time. He has raised more money than Denn, and he is running a campaign that is everyday distancing himself from his losing running mate, Bill Lee. The premise of his “independent voice” campaign is that it is a sure thing his running mate is going to lose, and lose big. So he is saying to voters, “I am the better man to keep Markell in line.”
It is just surprising. It is not often you see Republicans breaking Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment during an election campaign.
Tags: Charlie Copeland, Delaware, Jack Markell, Republicans
The Republican bench is pretty light. Who do they have – Copeland and anyone else? Probably the only Republican that has a shot of winning in my view is John Brady. Is there anyone else coming up the ranks?
Castle and Wagner are fading stars, close to the end of their respective careers. The party leadership in the Assembly (Cathcart, Spence) is old and worn out, facing possible defeat this year. John Brady, even if he wins the Insurance Commissioner’s race, will not rise above that into a leadership role.
They have Lavelle, the state representative in the Brandywine Hundred. He could have a future. There is no Republican on the county level in NCC that is being groomed. I am not sure about Kent or Sussex Counties though.
So Copeland is it.
I really should modify – I think Castle will win. Although I think the party should invest in Karen Hartley-Nagle’s race.
Oh, of course Castle will win. I was talking about the future. Castle is not the future of the DE GOP.
The party doesn’t want KHN to win, because they want the field clear for one of their preferred candidates (Coons?) when Castle steps down, quite possibly in 2010.
DD, Copeland hasn’t criticized Lee, so he hasn’t technically broken the commandment.
“Castle is not the future of the DE GOP.”
No, please, he IS the future of the GOP!!!! As goes Castle, so goes the DE GOP: retirement and then obscurity. And then Precious Pricilla can go back to taking baths with all her rubber elephants.
From Sussex, I cannot think of anyone that would resonate with upstate voters except for County Councilman George Cole. He’s great on development issues (usually being to sole vote against overdevelopment). Other than that, the group down here is very, very conservative.
Copeland hasn’t been much of an independent voice in his current job, why would he start being one as Lt. Governor? This all looks like the usual bamboozlement to me.
Well, if you want to know what kind of repubs capture Charlie’s heart, the only repub he’s contributed to outside of Delaware was George “Macaca” Allen (R, Racist).
On the plus side, no contributions to Bush/Cheney. He also gave a lot to Ting (R, ostracized)
The Allen contributions surprise me. What was the appeal? Was it before or after Maccaca? If it was before, it is understandable, as Allen was touted as a Presidential frontrunner in 2008. If it was after, hmmmmmmmm.
It was a year before. But remember, Allen was well known for his racist tendencies before Macaca – such as having a noose hanging in his office, wearing a Confederate flag pin, and hanging out with white supremacist groups.
“Copeland is the only rising star left in the Delaware Republican party.”
Copeland is the Delaware Republican Party! Copeland knows he has to move towards center and bring the party with him. The two parties need to come together and financial transparency needs to pass in 2009. Copeland can make that happen as Lt. Governor. Denn cannot! If Markell (he will thank God) and Denn wins the political gridlock will still persist. There is talk of more budget cuts coming down the pike education will be hit hard.
“Before the WHYY poll, I was concerned that the race was close. But with the result of that poll being 53-38,”
DPSC = Delaware Political Star Chamber where sitting elected officials play real politics.
Legislators from both sides of the fence have been known to quietly support the other team.
Denn is a great guy without a doubt but he does not have that much influence to move the Republican Party towards reality to get their head out of their asses and find common ground.
Markell and Copeland have the same circle of business leaders and you know who controls Delaware!
Some Copeland and Markell is the best 3rd party we can come up with!
Smoke some more DMT and get back to me!
PS: Copeland can still kiss my ass for not backing me taking on Red Clay school board but who needs him because I have the ball now;
http://home.comcast.net/~rcceac/site/?/home/
“to move the Republican Party towards reality to get their head out of their asses and find common ground.”
Kilroy rides his dead horse off into the sunset.
Maybe the DE GOP should rethink throwing Ting out of the party, since they have so few people to run for office.
“Kilroy rides his dead horse off into the sunset.”
No continued political gridlock fucks us all!
Copeland can’t do shit as Lt. Governor and he wants to go to Washington not governor of Delaware! Denn a nice guy and it’s about what’s right for Delaware. Its time to put the cats over the closed line and either figure it out of claw each other eyes out and the blood that will flow belongs to the people.
Markell gets his 2nd and Sokola will be next Lt. Governor !
Hey big Al feel free to trash me ! I won’t take it personal!
Hey Copeland I know you are reading this! Remember our deal, you win and I become the party chair and throw some of those cluster fucks out! O yea, I’ll need a secretary because my grammar sucks! Can I have the bitch from Delaware Talk Radio, Mike Matthews?
Hey is there any truth to the rumor Delaware Talk Radio put a bid in for WDEL?? I am like, they already have the listeners and I hear Al bitched slapped Rick for listening to Delaware Talk Radio instead of WDEL.
Oh Kilroy–my N. Wilmington associates are likin’ your Markell/Copeland plan–and wish they could do the same at the White House. Any plans of circulating some bumper stickers, signs etc.?
Joanne Christian
“Any plans of circulating some bumper stickers, signs etc.?”
Delaware Liberal is the biggest bumper sticker around!
Copeland has been revealed to be a total liar on many issues, BWW and his non profit to name two. He had a zero record in the Senate. Most of his support in Wilmington comes from handing out $$$ to the poverty pimps attached to Norman Oliver.
Remember the excitement of Lee/Copeland? Lee forgot to campaign or give a damn. Lee at the top will hurt the GOP so badly.
The sooner the GOP runs from guys like Copeland the better.
Anyone the GOP pulls out of their backside will be a total joke. Too bad the GOP wont support a guy like Protack, he supported Universal Health Care, BWW, recycling and is supportive of unions. You know, the things which help you get elected in Delaware.
I know he gets hacked in here but Protack stepped away when he could have been on the ballot and made it real tough for Lee in the fall. Protack walked away yet Copeland throws Lee to the curb because he no longer is of any use.
Copeland is a jerk and without his DuPont money is a nobody.
His career is over.
How many sockpuppets will make these exact same points over and over again? There is zero evidence — absolutely zero — that Mike Protack is anything but what he’s always been, a crack-brained guy who can’t get it through his thick head that nobody wants him in public office.
I know Charlie Copeland, and he’s not a jerk. Mike Protack, on the other hand, clearly is. You don’t have to like the whack jobs at IPOD to think Protack showed his complete lack of class, or ability to think of anyone beyond himself, to leave them at the altar the way he did.
That was low-class, and spoke volumes about Mike Protack — in exactly the same words that so many GOP insiders have used after meeting him.
In the immortal words of one of them, “Talk to him for 10 minutes and you think he belongs in public office. Talk to him for an hour and you think he belongs in the nuthouse.”
“Most of his support in Wilmington comes from handing out $$$ to the poverty pimps attached to Norman Oliver.”
Go back and check Markell’s reports !
•Al // Oct 21, 2008 at 12:42 pm
“Copeland is a jerk and without his DuPont money is a nobody.”
Now why drag his family into this? Sure he can be a jerk and an ass but look at Minner! The political question is can he as LT. Governor to Markell help bring the parties together and end the political deadlock? How important is financial transparency and open government?
If it’s family money Charlie Copeland works awfully hard to earn his keep. You can’t argue that. No sitting around for him, that guy is a worker.
Joanne Christian // Oct 21, 2008 at 3:16 pm
“If it’s family money Charlie Copeland works awfully hard to earn his keep. You can’t argue that. No sitting around for him, that guy is a worker.”
Copeland has a printing business and really how many small businesses are handed over to the kids when they come of age? So every kid that works for mom and dad’s business are worthless?
You see, I am not intimidated by his social status or money and he knows it! Sure it’s not nice for me to slap him around on my blog but it’s the only platform I have. The question of the day if Copeland became Lt. Governor for Markell could he help bring both parties together and end the political deadlock that is impacting all our lives. I just don’t think Matt Denn can do that!
I’m with ya Kilroy!!!
Geezer,
Stay anonymous as most cowards do.
The IPOD- we tried to get them to do things to advance the IPOD and nothing. The day I withdrew, their chairman siad he was too busy to attend the debate that night.
Why don’t you name those GOP insiders? Maybe the same ones who have not picked a winning candidate in 20 years?
Nuthouse? Thanks for the laugh. I will pass that on to the 50,000 passengers I was responsible for last year.
I wonder how the people you serve fries to think about you.