The filing deadline for office in Delaware is July 13 (the last day to withdraw is July 15). Let’s look at the state of the election for federal and state offices. Who’s running? What races are of interest?
Federal Offices
Right now Chris Coons, John Carney and Beau Biden have no primary candidates. So far, Chris Coons is unopposed (go Chris!) Scott Spencer, Michele Rollins, Christine O’Donnell and Mike Castle are not candidates yet, according to the Department of Elections. On the Republican side, Glen Urquhart and Rose Izzo are filed candidate.
As of today here are the primaries (filed candidates only):
Democratic
Treasurer – Velda Jones-Potter (I) vs. Chip Flowers
Auditor of Accounts – Richard Korn vs. Ken Matlusky [Wagner (R) incumbent]
State Representative District 8 – S. Quinton Johnson (I) vs. Valerie Jones-Rabb
State Representative District 10 – Dennis E. Williams (I) vs. Kenneth R. Dargis
State Representative District 24 – Kay Wilde Gallogly vs. Ed Osienski [Open Seat – Oberle]
State Representative District 27 – Earl Jaques (I) vs. James Maravelias
Republican
U.S. Representative (DE-AL) – Glen Urquhart vs. Rose Izzo [Open Seat – Castle]
State Senate District 19 – Joe Booth (I) vs. Eric Bodenweiser
State Representative District 29 – George Phillips vs. Lincoln Willis [Open Seat – Thornburg is retiring, right?]
State Representative District 33 – Harold Peterman vs. Steven Rust [Robert Walls (D) incumbent]
State Senate District 1 – Harris McDowell is unchallenged
State Senate District 5 – Chris Counihan (D) vs. Cathy Cloutier (R – incumbent)
State Senate District 7 – Patty Blevins (D – incumbent) vs. Fred Cullis (R)
State Senate District 8 – Dave Sokola (D – incumbent) vs. Louis Saindon
State Senate District 9 – Karen Peterson (D – incumbent) is unchallenged
State Senate District 12 – Dori Connor (R – incumbent) is unchallenged
State Senate District 13 – David McBride (D – incumbent) is unchallenged
State Senate District 14 – Bruce Ennis (D – incumbent) vs. John Moritz (R)
State Senate District 15 – David Lawson (R) [Nancy Cook (D) incumbent]
State Senate District 20 – Perry Mitchell (D) [George Bunting (D) incumbent]
State Representative District 3 – Helene Keeley (D) is unchallenged
State Representative District 4 – Gerald Brady (D – incumbent) vs. Richard Carroll (R)
State Representative District 6 – Debra Heffernan (D) [Tom Kovach (R) incumbent]
State Representative District 7 – Bryon Short (D – incumbent) vs. Judith Travis (R)
State Representative District 8 – Kathleen Rokosz (R) [faces winner of Johnson (I) – Jones-Rabb primary]
State Representative District 9 – Richard Griffiths (D) [Richard Cathcart (R) incumbent]
State Representative District 10 – Robert Rhodunda (R) [faces winner of Williams (I) – Dargis primary]
State Representative District 11 – Greg Lavelle (R) is unchallenged
State Representative District 12 – Deborah Hudson (R) is unchallenged
State Representative District 13 – John Mitchell (D) is unchallenged
State Representative District 14 – Christopher Weeks (R) [Schwartzkopf (D) incumbent]
State Representative District 15 – Valerie Longhurst (D – incumbent) vs. James Van Houten (R)
State Representative District 16 – James Johnson (D) is unchallenged
State Representative District 17 – Michael Mulrooney (D) is unchallenged
State Representative District 18 – Mike Barbieri (D – incumbent) vs. Terry Spence (R) [REMATCH!!!]
State Representative District 19 – Bob Gilligan (D) is unchallenged
State Representative District 20 – Francis Swift (D) [Manolakos (R) incumbent]
State Representative District 21 – Mike Ramone (R) is unchallenged
State Representative District 22 – Dave Ellis (D) vs. Joseph Miro (R – incumbent)
State Representative District 23 – Terri Schooley (D) is unchallenged
State Representative District 25 – John Kowalko (D -incumbent) vs. Gordon Winegar (R)
State Representative District 27 – Jay Galloway (R) [faces winner of Jaques (I) – Maravelias primary]
State Representative District 28 – Robert Carson (D) [confused here – incumbent is William J. Carson (D), relative?]
State Representative District 29 – John McCutchan (D) [faces winner of Phillips – Willis primary]
State Representative District 30 – William R. “Bobby” Outten (R) is unchallenged
State Representative District 31 – Ronald Smith (R) [Darryl Scott (D) incumbent]
State Representative District 32 – Brad Bennett (D) vs. Beth Buzzell Miller (R)
State Representative District 33 – Robert Walls (D – incumbent) [faces winner of Peterman – Rust primary]
State Representative District 34 – Jill Fuchs (D) vs. Donald Blakey (R – incumbent)
State Representative District 35 – Jim Westhoff (D) vs. David Wilson (R – incumbent)
State Representative District 36 – Russell McCabe (D) vs. Harvey Kenton (R) [George Carey (R) incumbent – anyone know about this race?]
State Representative District 37 – Frank Shade (D) vs. Ruth Briggs King (R – incumbent)
State Representative District 38 – Gerald Hocker (R) is unchallenged
State Representative District 40 – Clifford “Biff” Lee (R) is unchallenged
We’ll talk about the county offices tomorrow. Which races are of interest to you? I think the open seat races will be interesting (RD-24 and RD-29) are going to be interesting. The primary challenge of Eric Bodenweiser to Joe Booth in SD-19 is also of interest. In the general election race the rematch of Mike Barbieri and Terry Spence in RD-18 should be one to watch. Progressive favorite John Kowalko has a general election challenger in RD-25 with Gordon Winegar. The race in RD-35 of Jim Westhoff (a real progressive) with David Wilson in the heart of lower slower could be exciting.
Have you noticed how many officeholders are unchallenged still? Although there are some incumbents facing primary challenges: Booth in SD-19, Johnson in RD-8, Dennis E. Williams in RD-10 and Jaques in RD-27.