Middletown, Del. — Kelly Wright upset two-term incumbent Edna Cale and two other challengers Tuesday to win a five-year term on the Appoquinimink school board.
“As much work as this campaign was, now the real work begins reuniting the community and working to solve some of the district’s financial problems,” said the 33-year-old environmental engineer, who was making her second bid for a school board seat, having lost a four-way contest in 2011.This year, Wright earned 328 votes, or 41 percent of the 799 ballots cast.
Cale came in second with 240 votes, or 30 percent of the total, followed by Matt Brown, who picked up 227 votes, or 28 percent,
A couple of things…. 1) Congratulations to Ms, Wright. I’m not sure why she felt the need to say that the community is in need of “reuniting” in her statement. Maybe that’s a style quibble on my part, but I didn’t think this race was especially rancorous. Of course I wasn’t in it, so what do I know?
But while I’m in free advice mode, what’s this? “A lot of people will say this election was driven by ___. ” Why bring up what sore losers might say? Let them bring it up and thereby allow them to establish their sore loser credentials. The election is over the second the polls close. There is no need to give legitimacy to anything “a lot of people” might say to soothe their sore loser feelings. But if you absolutely have to say something, is it really “a lot” of people stewing in their sore loser juices? What’s wrong with “some people..” or better yet, “a few people.”
2) Edna Cale was a decent person and a good board member who will be missed.
3) The wild card (and probable teabag) with a highly suspect commitment to the cause of public education only got 28% of the vote. Good.
4) 799 ballots cast? That’s pitiful.