Delaware Political Weekly: June 9-15, 2012
1. Potential Sussex County Fallout
So let me get this straight. Jeff Christopher and Glen Urquhart knew about an alleged illegal affair between Vance Phillips and a teenager and, instead of alerting the the criminal justice system or, in Christopher’s case, pretending to be the law in Sussex County, they and/or someone affiliated with them, sent an anonymous letter to every member of the House of Representatives? Uh, why? Why didn’t they alert the authorities, or pretend to be the authority? Was someone blackmailing Phillips? If so, who? At this point, we can’t see how this will play out, and we don’t yet know what’s true or not, but this is certain to impact, and perhaps end, the political careers, such as they are, of Phillips, Christopher, and Urquhart. And there could well be others who were in on this. Tea baggers, perhaps? Other than what I’ve said, I don’t know what to say. Other than that, even before this possible scandal, Ernie Lopez was an infinitely preferable candidate for the 6th Senatorial District than Urquhart.
2. Party Endorses Crane, Changes the ‘Calculus’.
Up until now, the calculus, at least as I saw it was simple: The more challengers who oppose an incumbent, the more likely the incumbent will win. However, the Democratic Party’s endorsement of Crane, an endorsement that, according to Party Chair John Daniello, “wasn’t close”, changes all that, IMHO. Crane had already built a strong grassroots organization, a lot stronger than Stewart’s. Crane had already raised a lot more money than Stewart. And now, the Party, and especially the district committees who strongly backed Crane, will line up behind his candidacy. The 10-15 people who gather on Harris McDowell’s porch can, in no way, counteract that. I’m speaking as an analyst here, not as a partisan (Crane partisans, of whom I’m admittedly one, no doubt will cringe when I say this), but, barring something unforeseen, I now see Crane as a strong favorite to win this race, and I’m not sure that even the combined ‘forces’ of Stewart, Spivack, and Gallagher can put up a serious threat.
3. Three-Way Battle in the 23rd.
I’m jealous. Jerry Grant, former Newark Councilman, Assistant Chief of Staff to the House Democratic Caucus, previously assistant to both Terry Schooley and John Kowalko; Paul Baumbach, head of the Progressive Democrats of Delaware, and a key advocate for progressive causes; Claudia Bock, President of the Christina Education Association. Any of the three would be infinitely preferable to 2/3rds of the flotsam that…float, flaunt and flout in Dover. BTW, a pretty strong R source tells me that it is unlikely that Paul Pomeroy, an in-law to the Soles family, but an R, will join the race.
4. 1st D Files in the 32nd.
And offers a stark contrast to the riches in the 23rd. This is the seat that Brad Bennett will leave this November following his latest DUI. The guy’s name is Michael Tedesco, and he spouts bullshit. Such as:
I can’t just sit by while our so called representatives destroy our once great State and Nation. Join me, and together we can save our future for the next generation…I want to fight the abusive tax increases that our citizens are unable to afford…
Oh, and his big issue, the one he was going to run against Bennett on? The fact that Bennett supported the so-called ‘watered-down’ home invasion bill instead of Sen. Lawson’s equally BS ‘stronger’ bill. As I’ve pointed out numerous times, neither bill was necessary b/c there are already something like 150 offenses in addition to the new crime of ‘home invasion’ that would send poopetrators (Rugrats reference) away forever. Doesn’t stop this Tedesco guy from falsely claiming that, “With offenders back on the street in no time for good behavior, their victims are once again exposed to retribution.”
This guy may have filed as a D, but he is no Democrat. His rhetoric reads like a Tea Partier trying to get the nomination by default. Don’t think that’s gonna happen.
5. Candidate vs. Former Campaign Manager in 10th RD.
Dennis E. Williams(uh, you might want to lose that test pattern flag, Dennis) vs. Sean Matthews in a 10th RD Democratic Primary. This could be the kind of primary that costs the D’s a seat, and I think it’s unnecessary. But, it’s now official.
6. Longhurst’s Opponent Is Legit.
James Burton, adjunct faculty member at University of Delaware’s Wilmington campus, bachelor’s degree in business administration, Penn State University; master’s degree in social administration, Temple University. He ran for office once before in 2004, finished second in a three-way primary for the New Castle County district won by Bill Bell. Longhurst loves to use intimidation, which is great when you’re on top. But when you start to lose your edge, there are people with long memories just waiting to assist you on your way down. Don’t know if Longhurst is there yet, but Burton is a viable alternative.
7. Intrigue in the 8th Wilmington City Council District.
You all remember that Stephen Martelli resigned the seat to go to work for the US State Department. Last week, Ken Matlusky, who lost to Richard Korn in the 2010 primary for State Auditor, filed to run for the seat as a Democrat, and is currently the only filed candidate. However, one of our ‘spies’ has told us that At-Large Council Member Bud Freel, will not run for an at-large seat, but will rather run in the 8th, where he’d almost certainly be a prohibitive favorite. These things don’t happen in a vacuum, so there is more political intrigue to follow. Who has Bud anointed to run at-large? Could his initials be MM?
8. Reverend D Suspends His Campaign.
Bowing to the reality that there would be no imminent change to the legal opinion that held him to be ineligible to hold office due to his criminal past, Reverend Derrick Johnson ‘suspended’ his campaign for mayor. While I can understand his desire to run, Johnson strikes me as someone who can make a greater contribution out of political office than in it.
9. Withdrawals, We Have Withdrawals!
Frann Anderson, who had filed as a D to challenge incumbent Rep. Debbie Hudson in the 12th RD has withdrawn from the race. Too bad, I liked her background, and thought she would be a credible challenger, although the district admittedly is a real tough one.
That’s it for this week. What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?
Tags: Bud Freel Delaware, Claudia Bock Delaware, Dennis E. Williams Delaware, El Somnambulo, Glen Urquhart Delaware, James Burton Delaware, Jeff Christopher Delaware, Jerry Grant Delaware, Ken Matluzky Delaware, Michael Tedesco Delaware, Mitch Crane Delaware, Paul Baumbach Delaware, Sean Matthews Delaware, Steve Tanzer Delaware, Vance Phillips Delaware
“… someone who can make a greater contribution out of political office than in it.”
That phrase is pure poetry.
Awesome run down.
Are Dennis E. Williams and Dennis P. Williams related?
XS – yes, they are identical twins.
LOL. No X, they are not related.
Tedesco, unless I completely miss the mark, ran as a third party candidate in 2010, and until a month ago, was running for the 32nd as a Republican. He switched after Bennett announced he wasn’t running.
Before his ’10 unaffiliated run, he was a lifelong Democrat. He’s no Republican.
I love how the Democrat establishment is trying to kick out its only woman statewide official. From Sam Latham’s comments it seems some people are catching onto the Democrat game. How many blacks or women are in Markell’s cabinet? Karen has never been endorsed by the “party of diversity” over a white man.
how many statewide elected minorities/women/not Tom Wagners do the Republicans have again?
Mitch Crane is also part of the diversity of the Democratic Party.
MM? Maybe I am sleep deprived, but I am drawing a blank.
Karen is still the favorite…The party changes nothing. Mitch is the establishment candidate so what’s the news here? Karen won with no money, no establishment support and less name recognition last time. The party endorsement was the kiss of death for Reed, Jones-Potter, Carney. It’s wishful thinking to believe the same people will carry Mitch to an easy victory. The endorsement has galvanized people for Karen, especially in Wilmington. Some people will vote for Karen as a protest vote. Karen by 9.
Daniello always says it wasn’t close…
Vote for someone coz they are black/female/gay. Whatever… Really people?
Party hacks are the only ones that espouse this idea. I thought the Dems were above this thpe of flagrant plantation patronizing.
What? You think minoroties are too stupid to pull out the stops and vote for the most qualified individual out there. I got news for you- i am a minority and i do my homework
I dont care if the most qualitied candidate is purple with green dots, two heads and no specific gender at all- as long as they r qualified and will hold the office in the manner that most appeals to me
And some vapid , washed- up has been who has grifted all their career is an embarassment to the gender and the party.
I would have a lot more respect for upstate politics if the chosen appointed wasnt so chosen by bad decision making
If all u had was lesser than the party would like- then thats what u got- but when the genuine article comes along embrace it! And then start doing a better job of succession planning.
I dont see Biden beating Coons and to run them against each other would coz a not so nice party split And i dont see KWS keeping her seat.
Get over it and move on.
OK, anon, I’ve explained why I think Crane will win.
Karen by 9? Explain who will vote for her. There aren’t enough BC/BS execs and insurance agents (who are D’s, no less) to make it close. And she’s not running against Gene Reed, Jr. and that screaming Savage guy this time. So, tell us, anon, where is her constituency? I don’t see it.
“The party endorsement was the kiss of death for Reed, Jones-Potter, Carney.”
This is a complete and wishful misinterpretation of 2008 and 2010.
The kiss of death for Reed was taking contributions from Insurance Department contractors, exposed by Mike Matthews.
The kiss of death for Jones-Potter was the smells-to-high-heaven contract.
The kiss of death for Carney was a better, more energized candidate who wasn’t carrying Ruth Ann’s bags.
The party endorsement did not, in any of those cases, cause large groups of people to say “I’m voting for X because the party leadership (“High DEMS” in Nancy Willing’s parlance) wants Y.” It simply does not happen like that.
The party has endorsed. Will Matt Denn? He is a former insurance commissioner so surely he has an opinion on the race. Some may say he won’t endorse in a statewide primary but he did endorse Velda. If he chimed in on state treasurer why not about his former job? His calculation may be to spend six years doing nothing controversial, though.
Uh, Podium, what one does publicly and what one does behind the scenes are two different things. Who is to say that Matt didn’t quietly let his supporters know that he supports Crane? If that’s what he did, then Mission Accomplished. There’s no point in needlessly expending political capital when you can have the same impact w/o being public about it.
You can bet that he’ll be right there with Crane after the primary.
It doesn’t have the same impact. If it did no politican would ever run the risk of publicly endorsing in a primary. A robocall to 30,000 people has much more impact than whispers amongst 300 people in Dover. Ask Denn.
Denn has known the truth about Karen Weldin Stewart since before the 2008 primary, and so has Markell. In fact, they knew it during the 2004 primary and Denn defeated her partly by exposing her fake claims of expertise and experience but mostly because his sterling credentials far outweighed even her invented ones. If either Denn or Markell had planned to do anything about Stewart, they’ve had 3-1/2 years to do it in but neither has ever said a word. So there’s no reason to believe they’re not ok with her in office despite her obvious incompetence and corruption. What does that say about them? With that kind of political muscle behind her in addition to her dubious connection with shady McDowell, maybe anon and her other groupies blathering on this thread aren’t so wrong.
On Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart:
Second Post
Fined blue Cross/Blue Shield of Delaware $325,000 and ordered it to pay an additional $300,000 to participate in American College of Cardiology Pilot Program.
First Post
United States Senator Jay Rockfeller on Commissioner Stewart 9/8/2011
“I congratulate Commissioner Stewart for standing up for consumers and insisting that Delaware patients get the health care they pay for,when they need it. I also commend her for bringing together Blue Cross Blue Shield executives ann doctors in her state to develop an innovative approach to approving diagnostic heart tests.”
“I wanted to start the long journey to adonishood, becoming half the man I am today so that you would find me as irresistible as I find you (…) and finally, I wanted us to get past the façade of small talk and trivia and make the trip down the long and winding road into each other’s undiscovered countries we call our heart and soul.”
-Elliott Jacobson, April 23rd, 2011
Elliott: You did a fine job with BCBS, even if it was contrary to common sense, policyholders’ best interests, and Beau Biden’s opinion. No one believes that KWS was even remotely involved in any of what you’re trying to pass off as her work. We figured that out a long time ago because we’re all a lot smarter than she is, which isn’t saying much.