Delaware Political Weekly: February 18-24, 2012

1. Chris Counihan to Challenge Sen. Cathy Cloutier in 5th District Rematch

Chris lost in his first run two years ago, but the district has added some areas that voted heavily for Mike Katz. Counihan has been a strong supporter of Mitch Crane and a strong advocate for marriage equality. As many of you know, Cathy Cloutier has twice ducked chances to make a big difference on behalf of equal rights for all Delawareans. It is time she was held accountable. Here is the smoking gun. Remember that, Brandywine Hundred equal rights supporters, the next time that Cloutier bats her eyes and tries to convince you that she’s reallyreally on your side. When the chips were down, she was nowhere to be found. Not once, but twice. And don’t get complacent, Dori Connor. We’re coming after you as well. Lip service just doesn’t cut it any more.

2. Three Challengers for Paul Clark

We had already mentioned Democrats Richard Krett, who has filed, and Bill Shahan, who has not. Add to the list Republican Mark Blake, who is the President of GHADA, the Greater Hockessin Area Development Association, which is an umbrella group representing communities throughout Hockessin and its environs. Blake appears to have legit credentials for running, and I hope that the Stoltz rezoning is not the sole reason that Blake is running.  There are a lot of reasons to challenge Clark, but a one-trick pony candidacy is not likely to attract enough voters to turn Clark out. Was pleased to see Shahan quoted as saying, “Richard (Krett) and I have the same objective…There may be a time when our forces may unite. That’s totally possible.”  Multiple candidates in a primary are an incumbent’s best friend. Let the person with the best chance face Clark mano a mano.

3. Sussex County Finally Has Filings!

Kent County doesn’t, or at least Joyce Wright hasn’t bothered to post them (we do know, however, that the party filing fees have been posted in Kent). But in Sussex County, the level-headed Don Ayotte has filed to challenge Joan Deaver in a northeastern Sussex councilmanic district that goes to Milford. Both Glen Urquhart and Ernie Lopez have filed and will challenge each other in a Republican primary for the 6th Senatorial District, which has migrated from Hockessin/Greater Newark to eastern Sussex County. Incumbent  Rep. Harvey Kenton (R-Milford) has filed for reelection.

4. Hares Corner Clinches Carper Reelection

Not that it was in doubt, but the ‘saving’ of the post office substation at Hares Corner likely put an end to even the unlikely possibility that Sen. Tom Carper would face a serious challenge this year. While Carper was the most visible of the Delaware delegation on the issue, I suspect that the real power broker here was Vice President Biden. It does pay to have friends in high places, and it sure paid off here.  Someone had to win and someone had to lose. Delaware won, and it’s good for us all. Uh, except for the six more years of Carper part.

5. More Filings

Rep. Melanie George Smith , 5th District; Rep. John Mitchell, 13th District. Both D incumbents.

That’s it for this week. What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?