Several commenters, including UI and ‘Bulo, speculated that if Parker’s withdrawal was not due to some procedural disqualification (like not living in the district), then the prospects for a split party in the 19th SD and in Sussex County are huge.
Well, it looks like the latter rather than the former:
[Eddy Parker] said today he didn’t receive sufficient support from some parts of the Democratic party. [He] wouldn’t say whose support he lacked but denied rumors that anyone from the state Democratic Party pressured him to leave the race.
Given the conventional wisdom that Adams himself would have probably endorsed Booth to take his seat, since they were old friends, I wonder if many in the Democratic Party and in the Senate are following that wisdom. This reeks of the same lack of support given to the succession of unsuccessful House candidates challenging Castle through the years, because of the friendship between Carper and Castle. The Delaware Way strikes again. And it is disgusting.
Now I want Mervine to run. That will pose a conflict to those bowing to the feet of the Delaware Way: who to support: Adams’ friend or Adams’ daughter?
UPDATE:
More:
“We’re having another meeting tonight to, I guess, have Polly Adams thrown down our throats,” said Pat Green of Lincoln, a committee member from the 35th District who said she opposes Mervine’s selection.
[…]
“I think any Democrat who gets placed on the ticket expects full support from people who are important to the Democratic Party, whether that be elected officials or families of elected officials or former officials,” Parker said today. “As we went through this process, it became apparent that wasn’t necessarily the case. Realistically, there are certain factions of the system out there that you have to be able to depend on,” he said. “I just didn’t feel that that support was going to be there.”
Mervine has remained silent, not returning multiple calls for comment since Tuesday evening.
County committee members will hold an emergency meeting tonight behind closed doors at the Greenwood CHEER Center to discuss their options, said chairwoman Pat Ewing of Bridgeville. The public and press will not be allowed in, she said.
The plot thickens.