I guess it was bound to happen. The cranky old a-holes feel empowered and disinhibited about running on racist themes thanks to Trump’s win. In spite of the click bait-y header (Meet Delaware’s Donald Trump: John Di Mondi), this News Journal piece by Xerxes Wilson does a fairly good job not turning John Di Mondi into some kind of Populist hero in the same way the national press breathlessly built up the legend of Donald Trump throughout last year’s run up to the national election. Wilson even manages to work in a bit of context:
Paul Brewer, research director at the Center for Political Communication at the University of Delaware, said Di Mondi’s controversial disposition and rhetoric is likely part of a larger wave of politicians who will seek to emulate Trump’s unlikely rise.
“In races going forward, I’d expect to see some people try to reproduce that lightning in a bottle,” Brewer said. “Trump did have some extra things going on that not every candidate can produce.”
Wilson also takes some time to bring in some expert testimony outlining the fact that racism is real.
Di Mondi is challenging incumbent President and old time-y DEGOP moderate, Linda Ratchford.
