1. Whither the 41st?
Yep, John Atkins’ Rep. District. How would you like to be Pete Schwartzkopf or Sussex County D Chair Mitch Crane as the filing deadline approaches? Do you think that Atkins has finally reached his political expiration date? Do you think that even his Sussex County constituents have had enough of the ongoing drama–and/or comedy? And what do you do about it? Do you double-down on Atkins? Do you cede the seat to a 1% propagandist like Richard Collins? Do you find somebody else and ‘urge’ John to step aside? Does Atkins step aside? How does the potential loss of this seat impact Pete’s hold on the Speaker position?
I don’t have any answers, except to point out that Atkins was vulnerable, even to someone as extreme as Collins, before the latest headlines. Even in a district drawn to spec for Atkins by Schwartzkopf for 2012, Atkins barely edged out Collins, 4421-4352. 69 votes. At this point, even in Sussex County, people may just want someone not named John Atkins. And why should the D’s in Dover care? He is valuable to Pete Schwartzkopf and only Pete Schwartzkopf. And I suspect that Atkins’ value to Schwartzkopf is approaching zero. It will be ‘less than zero’ should Schwartzkopf start hemorrhaging supporters for the speakership due to his clinging to Atkins.
Atkins has not yet filed, FWIW.
2. Sheriff of Nuttingham vs …a Black Guy?
It could happen. And what a Rorschach test it would be for Sussex County. The Democratic candidate for sheriff is Ronald Gooch, who served 27 years in the Lewes Police Department, 14 of them as chief. Gotta love his quote from the Cape Gazette article:
“I don’t want to just win, I want to blow them out,” Gooch said to a supportive crowd of more than 100 people at Irish Eyes in Lewes.
Should Jeff Christopher survive a primary against the only other qualified candidate in the race, Seaford R Robert T. Lee, we will have a a race between ‘qualified and profoundly unqualified’ in the general election. And a race between a willfully-ignorant white guy vs. a well-qualified black guy. What will Sussex voters do? I’ll be watching.
3. Reasons for Progressives to Vote This Year
Any general election ballot with both Matt Denn and Brenda Mayrack on it is a ballot worth filling out. For years, we, and many of you, have lamented the dearth of progressives at the highest levels of elected state Democratic officeholders. I am convinced that both Denn and Mayrack are true progressives, and that the offices for which they’re running this year are unlikely to be the last offices for which they run. In addition to being progressives, both are real competent. With all due respect to Beau Biden (and that’s about as much respect as he’s due), Denn is a huge upgrade in the competence department. As for Tom Wagner, is there anybody in the state, other than perhaps Dick Cathcart, even willing to make an argument about his competence? Unless one views not doing anything as evidence of competence? Now contrast him with Brenda Mayrack. As Spiro Agnew might say, “Nolo contendere”. Speaking of Wagner and Cathcart, for those of you new to this scandal, this is must reading. Pretty much everything you need to know in one place. Perhaps that Delaware City sycophant who kisses Cathcart’s ass (no, not Val Longhurst, the other Delaware City sycophant who kisses Cathcart’s ass) will respond to this. Wagner? I dunno. But the term ‘suspendered disbelief’ was never more appropriate. BTW, in a delicious piece of irony, the pathetic report/whitewash from Wagner that I linked to in the article…is no longer available from the Auditor’s office.
4. Filing(s)
Rep. Ruth Briggs King (R-37th RD).
That’s all I got. What’d I miss and whaddayathink?