Delaware Political Weekly: May 12-18, 2012
1. Ned Beatty’s Son to Challenge Governor Markell…If He Can Raise Filing Fee.
Could it be that Christine O’Donnell really was good for Delaware? While she may have helped Delaware become a laughingstock, perhaps she (figuratively, we know it can’t be literally, according to her) gave birth to an entire Wacky Candidate Cottage Industry. In fact, I’m hoping for a reality show. MJ has already chronicled the would-be entry of Doug Beatty into the race. I’m not sure if the candidacy is rooted in the esoteric field of conceptual comedy (so far, he’s no Andy Kaufman, and there were times when Kaufman wasn’t that funny), or if Beatty has been inspired by Mike Prozac. But he promises at least a couple of weeks of divertissement from the heaviness of our daily lives until, like Prozac, his semi-intelligible ramblings push our ADDled off-buttons.
2. Tom Carper Gets a Primary Opponent.
I, like everyone else, know nothing about Keith Spanarelli of Smyrna, but he’s filed as a D against US Senator Tom Carper, the DINO who, among other things, gave us Roberts and Alito and Citizens United. One reason I know nothing about Keith Spanarelli is that the News-Journal, our alleged paper of record, doesn’t even have a story about the filing. Even Rose Izzo wasn’t dissed like this. Presumably, like most things political, what passes for the news staff is waiting for the blogs to fill in the details. Pathetic. But, I digress.
Imagine, just for a moment, that Spanarelli is an ordinary guy, not a nut case, but just an ordinary guy. Would you vote for him? I would, since I’m never voting for Carper again. Meaning there’s at least a chance that D’s like me who are from the ‘Democratic wing of the Democratic Party’ just might have someone we can support. Carper has long since abandoned any claim to our votes. So, Keith, if you are a nut case, and not just an ordinary guy, adopt a furtive stealth campaign. Hole up somewhere, let your fingernails grow obscenely long, release all your position papers in haiku form, and perhaps adopt the slogan, “Plausibly Sane”. That would work for me on so many levels. In fact, it’s the perfect dog-whistle campaign slogan. And this dog’d be barkin’.
3. Looks Like Dori Connor’s In Trouble.
This week’s huge development makes me wonder whether the incumbent state senator will even run for reelection. I’m guessing no. Democrats scored what appears to be quite the recruiting coup as Nicole Poore filed for the 12th Senatorial District seat currently held by Republican Dori Connor. Connor has yet to file. Connor has never had what one would call a credible Democratic challenger in this overwhelmingly-Democratic district. How Democratic, you ask? How about a Democratic majority, meaning that there are more registered D’s than registered R’s and I’s combined: 18,6718 D, 7490 R, and 7400 I. So, who, you ask is Nicole Poore? What if I told you that she is the Development Director for Exceptional Care for Children, a Newark-based nursing home providing specialized care for infants and children? If you scroll down to the second picture here, you will see her with John Kowalko and Bethany Hall-Long. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Sen. Hall-Long was a principal figure in Poore’s recruitment. While Poore’s site is currently under construction, we also know that she is the parent of a special needs child. As to Sen. Connor, who I’ve always liked, she has not been in the best of health, and she was hoping that her labor allies would help her win just one more term. But, her district post-reapportionment has moved even further away from her New Castle stronghold, and her friend Liane Sorenson is retiring, which could well be an important consideration. I could be wrong here, but this district looks poised to swing D in November, and it’s far from certain that Connor, or any R, even runs.
4. Suspense Over. Denn Files.
Sher Valenzuela now has a general election opponent for Lieutenant Governor. Fellow by the name of Matt Denn. You may have heard of him. The man who brought Captain Underpants into the political arena. And the fella who mentored Mitch Crane. Progressive and funny. And short. I like short. And progressive and funny. And, with the bleep that gets dumped in Dover, there’s room for an Entire Army of Captain Underpantses.
5. Charlie Copeland’s Latest Great White Hope?
One Ciro Adams, who appears to be a CPA, a member of the Delaware Military Academy Board, and, most importantly, a member of the University and Whist Club, has filed for what always ends up as the only at-large seat on Wilmington City Council to be held by an R. Isn’t that where Mike Brown currently hangs his shingles? Anyway, I’m pretty sure that this is him. Might not be a bad idea to have an auditor on city council, especially if Mike Brown is the only alternative.
6. Filing(s), We Have Filing(s)!
I try, I really try, to dig up at least some rudimentary information on people who file to run. However, when someone named John Johnson, Jr. files for an At-Large councilmanic seat in Wilmington, I don’t even bother to going to ‘The Google’. I mean, Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha, that I can handle. But John Johnson, Jr.? John, if you’re out there, please let us know what you’re all about. It’s nothing personal. It’s just that your name is John Johnson, Jr. But, you already knew that.
That’s it for this week. What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?
Tags: Ciro Adams Delaware, Dori Connor Delaware, Doug Beatty Delaware, El Somnambulo, Keith Spanarelli Delaware, Matt Denn Delaware, Nicole Poore Delaware, Steve Tanzer Delaware
Just in: Joe DiPinto mailed out a desperate letter to city R’s pleading for them to change their party registration before next Friday to support Bill Montgomery. Since the D’s don’t want him, they apparently need to go fishing with the registered R’s in the city. Smells like desperation….
Yeah, right–what decent Republican wants to support a tax raising, eminent domain abusing, soft on crime and guy whos in bed with Riverfront developer cash handouts instead of the hard working taxpayer whose water, sewer and prop tax rates have exploded??
I assume not many will switch and poor Joe diPinto’s 11th hour plea will fall on deaf ears.
Funny that Bill’s wife is a stauch D and now they need R’s so badly to hold on to power.
“Spanarelli…adopt a furtive stealth campaign.” Short of using a campaign alias, it is hard to imagine how he could be furtive or stealthy.
I won’t vote for Carper, but candidates these days should try to get a website up, even if it’s just a free blog. One would do well to remember that the GOP is known for filing bogus candidates in Dem primaries.
I’m talking furtive as in remote, unavailable. Create an air of mystery. “I’ll only reveal myself after the election, and then, only if I win.” It’s like “Let’s Make A Deal”. We know we’ve got a lousy deal now, maybe, just maybe, what’s behind the curtain is better.
Reporters will breathlessly await his pronouncements from outside what is believed to be his domicile. The pronouncements will appear to be plausibly sane with just a soupcon of inscrutability about them.
C’mon Jason, work with me here. Granted, it’s my fantasy, but you can be in it if you wannabe.
If I haven’t mentioned that I love you lately, I’ve been terribly remiss.
John Johnson Jr. lives in the 2nd district. He is president of the SEPTA Transit Workers Union. John is married and has 2 children.
According to the DOE NCC FaceBook page, Dorinda Connor filed for re-election a few moments ago.
Trippi
Congo filed for reelection in Wilmington 2nd district.
Thanks, guys, great information. FMD, well, at least I was correct for about 5 hours…
Did you see in paper today that Carney was top mail franker among all House freshamen and in top 10% of all 435 members of Congress?
Well, JJ, at least Carney hasn’t made himself part of the 1 percent … yet!
More to the point, Postal Service reforming/rescuing Sen. Carper, if House freshmen got $9.8 million worth of free mailing in nine months ($1.1. million per month), how much did the entire House spend? And the Senate?
Now, if our lawmakers had to pay to use the Postal Service, what might that do to its ever soaring deficit? It won’t solve the problem, but it could be part of the solution?
Carney seems to lack good polit instincts, kind of like how he was outmaneuvered by Jack Markell in 2008 Gov race. Carney’s staff should have never allowed this reckless franking. Looks bad!!
Did anyone read the article on Riverfront Hotel? Did i read that right that Purzycki took out a second mortgage loan on Chase Center to fund the project? Can they do that and saddle the state for that debt? Isn’t that like a back door way around not getting the letter of credit they couldn’t get from Dover? I see Bullock abstained on the vote. The Markell team must not be happy.
El Som,
Something odd on Shipley Road — you’ll see it next time you’re on WDEL with Al … there’s a stretch on the west side between Silverside and Naamans that’s plastered with Rhodunda and Lavelle signs … and the monsignor’s signs say “Lavelle — State Representative.”
Too cheap to get Senate signs?
Scared of Katz, so he’s decided to primary Rhodunda instead?
I’m betting on the “too cheap;” explanation, but will let you do the snooping.
He’s not in the 10th (Williams and Rhodunda), he’s in the same RD as Debbie Hudson. Maybe he can’t afford signs now that Charlie Copeland seems to have a monopoly on the printing business?
I can see Charlie overcharging the D’s, but you’d think he’d give Greg a break.
Joe Farley never cut the D’s any breaks, and he expected them to use Farley’s b/c, well, he’s Joe Farley dammit.
Just one more reason why many D’s chose someone more reasonable than the former state chair.
Comment by JJ on 20 May 2012 at 1:55 pm:
Did anyone read the article on Riverfront Hotel? Did i read that right that Purzycki took out a second mortgage loan on Chase Center to fund the project? Can they do that and saddle the state for that debt? Isn’t that like a back door way around not getting the letter of credit they couldn’t get from Dover? I see Bullock abstained on the vote. The Markell team must not be happy.
I am wondering the same.
El Som-
Underreported news story- did RDC just second mortgage the Chase Center for millions of dollars?
Can you dig into this? Did they bypass Legislature on this with this sidestep? The Bank would never take it because its just a big expense and loses money I think. Hmmm….what a tangled web they weave!
Tom Gordon filed. Should be fun.
“Can they do that and saddle the state for that debt?”
I can’t see how. That’s the whole point of setting up a separate corporation.