Just as the Republican Party was destroyed statewide two weeks ago, so too was the Democratic Party in Sussex County. There is just one officeholder left for the Democrats in Sussex: Councilwoman Joan Deaver. And it is widely expected in the political world that she will be soon out of a job as the conventional wisdom holds that she will be redistricted out of her council seat (she lives just 400 feet from the boundary line, so no great feet of gerrymandering will be required to move her into another district).
However, surprisingly, Glenn Urquhart’s favorite employee, Vance Phillips, was in the paper today saying:
“We’re not going to redistrict anyone out of a seat,” [Phillips] said. “Our goal is to keep the districts as consistent as possible, but obviously configuring them to take into account population shifts.”
Why, that almost sounds like a guarantee that Joan Deaver will not be placed into George Cole’s seat. Call me skeptical, but I will believe it when I see it. But I am skeptical for a reason. First, Republicans lie. All the time. It is as easy as breathing to them, especially when it leads to getting what they want. If what they want is Joan Deaver’s thorn out of their sides, then they will redistrict her out of a seat, no matter what they say today. Second, whenever there is an opportunity to screw Democrats over, Republicans take it, every single time. I almost admire their consistent vindictiveness and ruthlessness, and I wish my party would stick it to Republicans as often as they stick it to us.
So we will see. Is Vance Phillips a man of his word? It is doubtful, since he is a Republican.