1. A Candidate For the Rest of Us?
To Be Determined. Long-time New Castle County employee Jonathan Husband announced that he would run for New Castle County Executive. Husband is the Engineering and Environmental Services Manager in the County’s Division of Special Services, and is also active in Fox Point civic activities. While I haven’t found him to be the most outgoing or responsive of public employees (I used to think, perhaps only half seriously, that you had to be special to get services from the Division of Special Services, as the Division didn’t exactly convey a great sense of urgency to constituents), he could well be the best alternative for the Anybody But Gordon Or Clark constituency, which includes me. I will be interested to see if he can put together a viable campaign in a relatively short amount of time, especially since he’s up against two people with campaigns going full-speed-ahead. Unsolicited memo to the candidate: Set yourself up as the alternative to incompetence and/or corruption of Clark and/or Gordon, and you’ve got a shot. If you don’t directly confront that dynamic of the race by contrasting yourself with Clark and Gordon head-on, you can’t win.
2. Where There’s A Will, There’s a McVay. And A Primary.
R’s are smelling Brad Bennett’s (alcohol-elevated) blood (level) in the electoral waters. You will recall that Ellis Parrott, a retired magistrate who has that Jim Vaughn bullet-head look, had filed as an R for Bennett’s 32nd District House seat. He now has company in the form of Will McVay, who has been regaling us with his definition of rent control over here. You may remember McVay for his pursuit of multiple ballot slots back in 2010. He reportedly sought more lines than Greg Allman had snorted. He’s now primarying the Parrotthead, while Brad Bennett hopefully isn’t wasting away again in Margaritaville.
3. Keith Spanarelli Has A Primary Opponent.
Tom Carper. Bet the Party’s not keeping his filing fee. Probably returning it to the banks that likely ponied it up as we speak. I’m begging you, Keith. Please do those “Who Is Keith Spanarelli?” billboards, maybe with a picture of Einstein pondering some eternal verity. Create an aura of mystery and intrigue. Don’t spoil the aura of mystery and intrigue by turning out to be someone who is…neither mysterious nor intriguing. Like the current empty suit (if you don’t count the $$’s bulging out of his pockets) occupying the Senate seat.
4. Lavelle Files for 4th Senatorial District.
He is expected to run against incumbent Sen. Michael Katz, although Katz has not yet filed, and you never know. Both campaigns have lots of $$’s in their respective coffers, and this should be quite the competitive race.
5. Rasslin’ Ron Faces Darryl Scott…
in a loser-leaves-town match? I hope not. Ron “The Honorable” Poliquin has signed on to ‘job out’ to Rep. Darryl “Dr. Destructo” Scott in a November matchup. Poliquin lost a Number One Contenders’ Match to Ron Smith in 2010, and Smith was pinned by Scott less than three minutes after the polls closed the bell rang. Look for Scott to dispose of Poliquin using Scott’s patented Bow-Tie Neckbreaker in November. (Ya gotta click the Scott link to understand that one…)
6. Sen. Marshall to Seek Reelection?
Sign points to ‘yes’. Rep. Helene Keeley, who would be Marshall’s most logical successor, has filed for reelection to her 3rd Representative District seat. I doubt that she would have done so unless she had pretty reliable information that Marshall has decided to run one more time.
7. Oy, McVay.
McVays come, McVays go. Will files for a House seat, and (presumed) brother Jess withdraws from the race for Kent County Register of Wills. To run his (presumed) brother’s campaign? Meaning that where there’s a Will, there’s a McVay, but where there are wills, there is no McVay. For today.
8. Filings, We Have Filings!
Incumbent D Senator Brian Bushweller (17th District); and Theo Gregory for President of Wilmington City Council.
That’s it for this week. What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?