It seems as though Jack Markell might have a primary opponent. Magnolia resident Doug Beatty, whose only claim to fame is being the son of actor Ned Beatty, has announced that he is going to challenge Markell in the Democratic primary. That is if he can raise the filing fee.
In what has to be the biggest understatement of the year, Beatty said that he is “an extreme long shot” but thinks he can win if he can get on the ballot. I think he’s watched The Candidate too many times. His run is more like the wet dream Bobby had in Deliverance.
Beatty believes he’s qualified for the office and lists his qualifications as
… never served even in a municipal office and does not hold a bachelor’s degree. But Beatty said he is not uneducated. In the Navy, he was trained in avionics to work on electronic systems for aircrafts, satellites and spacecraft.
Beatty also said he holds an honors certificate from Computer Learning Center in Alexandria, Va. He has studied dealing black jack and roulette, and he worked in Washington, D.C., as a special police officer.
He also once was able to draw the horse that he found on the inside of a matchbook cover.
It seems his main concern in running is that a neighbor was killed in 2006 and he believes the police didn’t investigate the crime fully because of the victim’s and perpetrator’s race.
Beatty said it was a 2006 incident that finally pushed him to try to make a change. Beatty said his next-door neighbor’s house was broken into, and his neighbor, also a friend, was gunned down.
Beatty said because his friend and the killer were both African-American, police did not investigate the shooting. “I deliberately saw evidence not picked up,” Beatty said. “There was a bullet left in my house.”
Beatty said cigarette butts the killer left on the floor of his neighbor’s home were not collected by police. “I’m a stickler for civil rights,” Beatty said. If a person is killed, it should be investigated, regardless of who the person is, he said.
If Beatty does make the ballot, it means that Jack can raise twice limit allowed by law – $1200 for both the primary and general election. This might not be a bad thing – Jack would be able to use his campaign funds to help down ballot races.
Alluding to a possible campaign theme, Beatty is a law abiding citizen.
Beatty said he does not consider himself very partisan, but he knows how to uphold the law. “I’m a damn good security guard if nothing else,” he said.
Beatty said citizens from Occupy Wall Street protesters to Tea Party members and 9-12 Patriots have shown support in his decision to run. “I’ve got a lot of support from friends,” he said. Most of them don’t even seem to mind his preference for wearing kilts, he said.
Can’t wait to see his version of Braveheart.