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?