The 62 Project: Version 2.0
The 62 Project ranks the legislators based on the entirety of their careers. Version 2.0 reflects the departures of legislators, the arrival of new legislators, and adjustments to the rankings based on events that followed my initial ranking of individual legislators. For those not familiar with the original project, here’s the link where you can get a lot more info (and snark) regarding your favorite legislators. I will offer comments for those who moved significantly in either direction. Since the new legislators have not yet…legislated, I have assigned them placeholder positions based on my sense of where they project as we kick off the 148th General Assembly:
1. Sen. Karen Peterson
2. Rep. Mike Barbieri
3. Sen. Bob Marshall
4. Rep. Melanie George Smith
5. Sen. Dave Sokola
6. Rep. Ed Osienski
7. Sen. Bryan Townsend
8. Rep. James J. J. Johnson
9. Rep. Helene Keeley
10. (Previously #24) Rep. Kim Williams: She makes a huge jump based on her emergence as perhaps the leading voice in the House on behalf of true public education.
11. Sen. Harris McDowell
12. Sen. Margaret Rose Henry
13. Sen. Patti Blevins
14. Rep. Quin Johnson
15. (Previously #20) Rep. John Kowalko: Moves up five spots based on his legislative success in passing the one-year lobbying moratorium and the legislation opening up the University of Delaware and Delaware State University to FOIA.
16. Sen. Dave McBride
17. Rep. John Mitchell
18. Rep. Paul Baumbach
19. Rep. Earl Jaques
20. Rep. Sean Matthews: The first of my projections for the new legislators based solely on his positions during his campaigns against former Rep. Dennis E. Williams and Judy Travis.
22. Sen. Bruce Ennis
24. Rep. Sean Lynn: Elected to fill the seat of the retiring Darryl Scott. While he’s taken positions similar to Scott, this is a placeholder spot until we see him in action. Color me skeptical.
26. Rep. Bryon Short
27. (Previously #19) Sen. Brian Bushweller: His relentless push to waste taxpayers’ money on the casinos and this bullshit proposed Kent County athletic complex cause him to plummet seven spots. BTW, perhaps Senate President Pro-Tem Patti Blevins will explain why Bushweller is on both Bond Bill and the Joint Finance Committee. That violates the rules that prohibit membership on both money committees. Something to watch for in 2015.
29. Rep. Mike Ramone
33. Sen. Ernie Lopez
34. Rep. Danny Short
36. Rep. Joe Miro
37. (Previously #43) Sen. Gary Simpson: Simpson moves up largely due to legislators either departing and/or due to demotions. Same holds true to a lesser extent for Reps. Bolden and Miro.
39. Rep. John Viola
40. Rep. Lyndon Yearick: I had ranked Don Blakey at #37. Yearick defeated Blakey in a Republican primary in this Kent County district. View this solely as a projected holding spot until we see him in action.
41. Rep. Kevin Hensley: Another newcomer, won the seat previously held by the abdicating Rebecca Walker.
42. ( Previously #32) Sen. Nicole Poore: She takes by far the biggest drop in ranking. Here’s someone who hasn’t even run for reelection yet, but who has already parlayed her elected position into a six-figure BS job. Heading up the equally BS Jobs for Delaware Graduates, no less. IMHO, her actions color her as amoral and unethical until proven otherwise.
43. Rep. Bobby Outten
44. Rep. Debbie Hudson
45. Rep. Harvey Kenton
46. Rep. Ronald Gray
47. Sen. Gerald Hocker
48. Sen. Brian Pettyjohn
49. Sen. Greg Lavelle
50. Rep. Val Longhurst
51, Harold Peterman
52. Rep. Steve Smyk
53. Rep. Charles Potter
54. Rep. Bill ‘Lumpy’ Carson:
55. Sen. Bryant Richardson: Defeated the octogenarian Sen. Bob Venables in this central Sussex district, and tacks to the right of the quite conservative incumbent. A placeholder spot but, when was the last time that a Sussex County legislator surprised us in a good way?
56. Rep. David Wilson
57. Rep. Jeff Spiegelman
58. Rep. Tim Dukes
59. Sen. David Lawson
60. Rep. Ruth Briggs King
61. Rep. Richard Collins: A new contender to oust Colin Bonini from the #62 spot on this list. Hard to believe that anyone could be worse than John Atkins, but this district (41st RD) seems to (in)breed them. And this guy is Mr. Property Rights. Collins, Atkins, and good ol’ Charlie West, all from the same district. They get the government they deserve.
62. Sen. Colin Bonini.
As always, whaddayathink? Where did I get it wrong? Or, just perhaps, right?
Well, I would move Quinn Johnson up to #11 accordingly. He maintains EXCELLENT constituent service and communication. Plus, he has just been appointed to the DEFAC group for review. This fellow has really maintained momentum in public service.
That whole DEFAC revenue review is gonna be a fascinating story this year.
Pretty much everybody has figured out that the gimmickry enabling us to balance the budget is becoming less stable. Whether it’s escheat, gambling revenue, or incorporation fees, our finances are, at best, stagnant.
Over the years, we took what once was a progressive tax system and turned into a de facto flat tax, and balanced the budget with gimmick after gimmick, including selling out to the banking industry. Considering that there are few legislators willing to even consider something as modest as a gas tax increase, I’m not optimistic that there are enough leaders around to do the right thing.
At least, it’ll make interesting Kabuki theatre.
Well just think what they could recoup in “free days” for everyone but me at state parks and surf-fishing licenses. A windfall! 🙂
Senator Sokola #5????
I sat in on an endorsement interview a few years ago and the man mentioned Ronald Reagan’s name 5 times each in glowing terms. It made the hair on my neck stand on end. Boninni would have been proud
I fully expect Senator Dave Lawson will move up that list very fast!
On this list, the higher the number is a better legislator.
Nikole Poore should be below Bonini. He’s at least true to his roots while Nikole has become a bottom feeder in less than two years. I don’t know that anyone has ever rivaled her pace at latching on to the gravy train teat of a government backed paycheck. I hope the useless JDG group suffer some deep cuts at the hands of the Legislature this year.