Ask any politically astute person in Delaware who are the more notable Progressives in the state, and I am sure they will answer Rebecca Young and John Kowalko. So just in case you think this party chair election tomorrow is really all about Progressives v. the Party Establishment, be aware that Rebecca has endorsed Daniello and John has endorsed McGlinchey. Sure, McGlinchey is trying to capitalize on disenchantment with the Delaware Way, or at the very least with Daniello’s intervention in the primaries last year, in his upstart race to unseat Daniello. That and his union credentials are really the only cards he has to play.
But an anonymous poster on the Progressive Democrats of Delaware email list has this to say about that disenchantment:
What happened last year is water under the bridge and has, in and of itself, brought a valuable lesson to party leadership. I would expect a rule change to come out of all of this once the dust settles if Daniello is re-elected.
Indeed. You can argue that Markell’s win over Carney and subsequent election as Governor was all the revenge that was needed. The wounds have healed from that dust up, and there are now various contacts and partnerships between Markell’s supporters and his Administration and the state Party.
The fault lines in this race are everywhere and nowhere, and that is why I think, after all the shouting tomorrow, Daniello will be reelected as party chair. In fact, I foresee a deal tomorrow: McGlinchey will withdraw prior to the election in exchange for a new rule about noninterference in party primaries.