1. Financial Reports Online, and They Tell Some Interesting Tales.
Haven’t read all of them yet, but there are some interesting teasers:
(1) Anyone expecting Sen. Mike Katz (4th) to go gently into that good night against Greg Lavelle are bound to be disappointed. Katz already has almost $200 K in the bank, much of it from Delaware’s medical community, with $73K in the form of a personal loan. Lavelle has $82K, $25K of which is in the form of a personal loan. This is one race where finances will not do the Democrat in.
(2) Neither Dave Sokola nor Liane Sorenson are rolling in dough. Time to toss some $$’s Sokola’s way.
(3) Hard to figure how Bob Marshall is gonna run for mayor with the paltry sum he’s raised, I don’t think he will. His close-out balance shows less than $7K, although there is a $50K loan which is not figured in the final total. BTW, his committee is his State Senate committee, he has yet to file a committee for a mayoral run. Bill Montgomery has gotten a decent start on fundraising, about $19K in his coffers at year’s end, the vast preponderance of it local. Kevin Kelley has $15 K at his disposal, and Dennis P. Williams has a little over $10 K.
More fascinating fiscal tidbits to come. If you wish to navigate the user-unfriendly system at the Department of Elections, knock yourself out, and let us know what you find.
2. Bryan Townsend Challenges Tony DeLuca.
We’ve already covered that one, and the response has struck quite a chord with our readers. Looks like Evan Queitsch’s kitchen cabinet, did I say kitchen cabinet, I meant phone booth cabinet, have marshaled their paltry resources to organize an online illiterate response. Oh, and speaking of “The Q”, didja know that he has a balance of $979.09 in his year-end report, and that $600 of it came from Friends of Christine O’Donnell? You do now. BTW, does Queitsch rhyme with ‘kitsch’? Curious minds want to know.
3. Filings, We Have Filings!
Memo to NCC Department of Elections: Would it be possible to correct the spelling of Bryan Townsend‘s name between now and the primary? It’s not ‘Byran’. Thankyouverymuch. He has filed for the 11th District seat currently held by Tony DeLuca.
Charles Potter has indeed filed to seek the 1st RD seat currently held by Dennis P. Williams. You will recall that Potter ‘prematurely’ announced Williams’ candidacy for Mayor of Wilmington, and also said that Williams had endorsed Potter as his successor. Williams replied that he had not endorsed anybody. Something tells me that Potter will not be the only candidate seeking this office.
Karen Weldin Stewart has filed for reelection. MJ has already written a piece about her year-end financial report. Would it be cruel of me to point out that Mitch Crane has already outraised the incumbent?
Senators Margaret Rose Henry (2nd) and David B. McBride (13th) have filed for reelection. Let me say it again: An ambitious challenger could have a real shot at knocking off McBride. He doesn’t even live in the district any more, although he retains a legal residence there.
Rep. James Johnson (16th) has filed for reelection.
New Castle County Council members George Smiley (7th), John Cartier (8th), and Jea Street (10th) have filed. Would it be too much of an understatement to suggest to the residents of the 7th Councilmanic District that they can do better than George Smiley? Yes, yes it would be. Just drop into your local Dunkin’ Donuts and pick out someone at random. Instant upgrade.
It is quite possible, even likely, that candidates have filed their papers in either Kent or Sussex Counties. However, as of Friday, January 27th, 8:30 a.m., neither county even has a link you can click on for ‘2012 Ballot-Qualified Candidates’. Unprofessional and frankly pathetic. Is there a grown-up somewhere in state government who can do something about this?
And, for that matter, shouldn’t we have a ‘2012 Ballot-Qualified Candidates’ link on the State site? It’s a joke that we have to click on all three counties to see who has filed. Really, this stuff isn’t so tough. Get some high-school kids to volunteer for credit, or something.
4. Jack Markell’s Record $1.4 Million War Chest.
Covered in the News-Journal here (Read it while you still can). I was impressed that so many of the donors are from Delaware. Of course, he has donors from everywhere in the US. If Markell intended this to be a demonstration to party leaders of his fund-raising prowess, he has succeeded. I just hope that he remembers some of his Delaware allies as he divvies up some of the spoils.
OK, political junkies, what did I miss? See ya next Friday.