1. Marie Mayor!!
She’s filed to run for the 20th RD seat currently held by the odious ex-state cop Steve Smyk. You may recall that Mayor ran a superb campaign, handily won a primary for the seat, and was poised to win until…a two-week blitz of fear and hatred stirred up the local yokels.
For the record, Mayor won 64.9% of the vote in a three-way primary in 2012. Lynn Rogers finished a distant second at 28.9%, and Thomas Jones, Sr. garnered finished with 6.2%. It was not a divisive primary, and the Party coalesced around Mayor. Mayor lost to Smyk by a 53.2%-46.8% margin.
It’s by now pretty clear that the type of campaign waged against Mayor continues to have diminishing returns. She would be a significant upgrade over Smyk. Here is an article announcing her filing.
Oh, and lest you have forgotten this about Steve Smyk, allow me to remind you. From a January 13, 2012 Political Weekly:
7. State Trooper Tosses His Big Gun Into the Ring
When you have to talk about how big your gun is, it’s not that big. From my Wednesday Post-Game/Pre-Game post:
“Finally, yet another state trooper, and one seemingly with a High Asshole Quotient (copyright pending), has thrown his steel-toed jackboots into the political arena. One Steve Smyk will run for a newly-created House seat in Sussex County. He met with the House R Caucus in Dover yesterday. Allow me to quote this would-be ‘Honorable’ from the linked News-Journal article:
“They’re very angry that I went to a Republican side,” Smyk said of the Democrats. “[But] I don’t fit well in Democratic skin.”
“They’re afraid of me,” he said of the Democrats.
When a cop is this full of himself, the people he is sworn to protect should be justly afraid of him. He seems to like people being afraid of him, and the guy carries a gun, after all.”
A big gun is all that Smyk has brought to Dover. Victorious following a last minute shitstorm of hatred and innuendo (…Didja know…she’s gay!!??). There is already an excess of undistinguished and (often) unthinking ex-cops taking up office space in Dover. Smyk is among the worst. Time to upgrade.
2. Fantasy Predictions
In the absence of any other breaking political news this week, I’d like you to predict what comes next politically for the following Delaware figures, especially considering that Gov. Markell is term-limited:
Jack Markell
John Carney (assuming a REAL D doesn’t successfully primary him this year)
Matt Denn
Tom Gordon
Beau Biden.
I also encourage ( in fact, beg for) predictions for other politicians who might be considering statewide runs. Bethany Hall-Long? Bryan Townsend? Republicans? ANY Republican?
In fact, I’ll muster up a great prize (I’m thinkin’ a real good bottle of wine) for the first person to accurately predict the entire D statewide ticket. President/VP/US Rep./Governor/Lt. Governor/Insurance Commissioner. 1st tiebreaker: Wilmington Mayor. 2nd Tiebreaker: NCC Executive.
Consider this the Hot Stove Edition of Delaware Political Weekly. And consider yourselves our Fantasy Political Bookers. Have at it!