A Very Special Monday Edition Of Delaware Political Weekly: May 25-May 31, 2018
1. Progressive Hero Sean Lynn Gets A Primary Challenger. And he could be a threat. Ralph Taylor, member of the Capital School District School Board. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but, yes, he’s a 25-year veteran of the Dover Police force. I know that the denials are out there, but why would he challenge someone who has fought for the voiceless in his district and throughout the state? FWIW, here’s what reads like gibberish to me:
I believe changing times requires new leadership. I believe we need leaders that enforce the law and not manipulate it; leadership built on a foundation of trust, respect and dignity. I believe we need representation that has the respect of both democrats and republicans alike. The rubric I use to measure effective leadership is the ability to guide, train, direct, motivate, inspire and unite those you lead. All leadership elements are important but the ability to unite your team means limitless possibilities. One person can make a difference but a team can make a miracle, as the Eagles have just demonstrated.
Stand by for an upcoming announcement and please prepare to walk this path with me. I ask all in the faith based community to pray. I ask all who know me as a leader to speak openly about who I am and the type of people who surround me.
If you want to contribute to Sean Lynn’s campaign, you can do it right here. Sean Lynn is one legislator we can’t afford to lose.
2. Tizzy Lockman Is Running the Campaign I THOUGHT That Kerri Harris Would Run. Well, someone needs to write this. Might as well be me. I’ve contributed twice to Kerri’s campaign, and I’ve knocked doors as well. I haven’t contributed to Tizzy’s campaign and, other than some admiring words on DL, haven’t been involved in the campaign. Yet, Tizzy has run a textbook grassroots campaign, which includes updates on all the campaign activities and, yes, solicitations for small contributions. Over and over. It’s part of how you build a grassroots campaign. And a bankroll. I get them, and I’m not even on-board yet. The latest posts from Kerri’s campaign are links to articles posted over a month ago. Although I’ve contributed twice already, I haven’t even received a solicitation in at least over a month. I see nothing on campaign activity. No pictures of volunteers campaigning. Almost by definition, grassroots campaigns are fueled by a ‘we’re all in this together’ meme. It grows the volunteer base. I think it’s why one campaign is well-fueled, and the other seems to be running on fumes. Looks like Chris Johnson’s campaign is gonna be closer to the Lockman model. Think I’m gonna spend more time working on that one. BTW, Chris just got the Delaware United endorsement for AG, as did Guillermina Gonzalez for 22nd RD.
3. Sigh Of Relief: David Bentz Files. I admit I was concerned. Bentz is a skilled legislator. Much like Rep, J. J. Johnson, he has demonstrated the ability to steer complex progressive legislation through the General Assembly. There are few legislators with the skills and inclination to do so. David Bentz is one of those few.
4. John Kowalko Gets An Opponent. One Bryan Rash, who has filed as an R. He says he’s a successful small business owner. Based on his e-mail address, I’m guessing maybe auto parts. His stated theme?: “As your Representative, my trademark will be good civil behavior while conducting your business”. Better that, supposedly, than standing for something. His Facebook page is a little…repetitious.
5. Darius Brown Joins Race For Sen. Henry’s Seat. Both he and Bobbie Cummings have now filed. Leaving only Sam Guy to file, the phony who just couldn’t wait to rush to the microphones to tell everybody that Sen. Henry was retiring, and that He would run for her seat. Maybe He was counting on some settlement cash from the Potters’ various spurious lawsuits to pay that filing fee.
6. Filings. State Rep. Ruth Briggs King (D-37th RD); Kent County Sheriff Jason Mollohan; Paulette Rappa (D Candidate, Sussex County Council District 4).
That’s it for this week. What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?
I have not weighed in on Kerri Harris because I don’t especially enjoy being Debbie Downer, but I found it significant from the first that the grassroots person with the slimmest resume was the one aiming for the highest office.
I have been all in on Tizzy from the first. Granted, this being Delaware, I’ve known her since she was a child because I worked with her father, but I hadn’t seen her in years when I saw her at a dinner party a few years back.
I was impressed not just with her knowledge but her ability to articulate it in a conversational setting. Speaking ability isn’t a necessity for a successful politician (see: Carney, John; Minner, Ruth Ann; Carper, Tom, et. al.), nor is an ability to think on one’s feet, but it sure helps. It also helps that she has been doing spadework on education for several years now, so she’s connected to people who can facilitate her acclimation process. That her campaign is running smoothly is a sign that she knows how to take good advice and implement it.
All of which is a long way of saying that she’s well-qualified for the office she’s running for. And because it’s a senatorial district, she hasn’t taken on a target that would require statewide organization.
Can I say the same about Ms. Harris? I don’t know, but I haven’t seen many signs that I can. She needs 40,000 votes, minimum. If I had to guess I’d say she’s still 30,000 short.
The fact that the Kerri Harris strategy is different from the Tizzy strategy doesn’t concern me. They should be very different so they are. The notion that one campaign is running “smoothly” and one isn’t because you haven’t seen photos or received mail is old fashioned, in my opinion.
As far as a slim resume, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the things you’ve been trained to expect a politician to have as far as experience are a bamboozle. There are obsolete and useless. If you prefer a candidate with a deep corporate CV you already have one.
To Al’s point. Have you spoken with Kerri at length? Have you even met her in person? I understand everyone knows and loves her because they knew her dad. And Tizzy is great, but the way people talk about their experience and conjecture as fact is silly. If I’m going shit on other commenters for just makinig up random numbers… then…
OK, Rev, I’ll bite. What is Kerri’s strategy? I thought it was going to be a grassroots strategy. It’s not that, or, at least, it doesn’t look to me like a grassroots strategy. If it’s a closely-held strategy, then it’s being withheld from this volunteer at least. Which raises the question: Can’t my volunteer time be better spent elsewhere? Talk me down.
If you think I’m going to dissuade you from volunteering for Chris Johnson, I will not. Love that guy. Just hung with him Thursday and will see him this week.
The Kerri strategy’s not “closely held” but I’m neither in a position to say nor know quite enough anyway.
You based this claim on aged photo links and lack of solicitations received. I’m saying that’s a pretty weak measurement. It’s like the lawn sign argument.
Another false comparison is what Tizzy is doing versus Kerri. These are just things you’ve made up so you have something to say on the internet. Why would we expect this two to be similar in any way except for your preconceived notion of what “grassroots” means.
You’re entitled to you’re own opinion about it. But using these personal observations and proclivities to make these types of judgments is speculative at best. That’s the point I’m making.
And everyone knows Tizzy because they knew her pop. That’s great, but it’s a non-sequitur. And these vote numbers are conjecture that we would all mock coming from anybody. Just made up.
I’ve worked on grassroots campaigns for federal and local office, Bryan Townsend’s being the most recent. I spent over 20 years working on a wide variety of campaigns. I think I know what a grassroots campaign looks like. At least a good one. My notions aren’t ‘pre-conceived’, they’re based on my own experience. YMMV.
Here’s where I agree with you: “I’m neither in a position to say nor know quite enough anyway.” That may not concern you, but it concerns me. I also have other reasons for concern, but I mentioned the ones that might be most readily apparent to supporters.
I asked you to ‘talk me down’. Hope someone can.
As I hope I made clear, I didn’t just know her dad, I have met her in a non-campaign setting and was impressed with her — as a person, not as a politician. She’s running for an achievable office that would remove a Democrat I consider a charlatan, an old white machine politician representing a black district, and she’s clearly a better candidate than he is. Which is why I have contributed my money.
No, the numbers are not made up. Look it up. Forty thousand is how many votes Carper got last time he was primaried by a tomato can in a midterm. That’s how many the establishment Democrats can turn out.
My record on elections is public — for example, I said Mike Castle needed 30,000 votes, he got 28,000, she got 31,000. I also predicted the mayoral election based on past vote totals.
The numbers are what they are. You can check them yourself at the Dept. of Elections web site. Past results don’t guarantee future performance, but to paraphrase Grantland Rice, that’s the way you bet them.
As for Kerri Harris, whether I’d be impressed by her is totally, incredibly beside the point. She has to get 40,000 people to support her, and I don’t think she’s got more than 10,000 — just my rough guess about how many Democrats in Delaware want to get rid of Tom Carper. Her positions only matter if everybody knows about them, and most people don’t know about her. And now it’s too late. It’s almost impossible to move the numbers during the summer, and the primary is just a few days later.
Any discussion of future events is conjecture by definition. Your conjecture, that the old ways won’t work in Delaware, is the one least supported by evidence.
So you haven’t met Kerri then?
I have. I love her. She’d be a great Senator. Doesn’t change my concerns about the campaign. What am I missing?
I’m of the opinion that all this historical notions and how-to rules need to be destroyed. I know you guys have being around Delaware politics for a combined 100 years or whatever it is.
If you want and expect things to play out the same way they have done, that’s on you all.
Personally, I know what’s up. Personally I want the system you all are experts in to be ground into the dust. Seriously.
I love your involvement and energy, but I couldn’t care less what happen 5, 10 or 15 years ago. So I don’t base my decisions on it.
Full disclosure, I do know enough to understand what you’re saying. I don’t want to be coy. I’m not concerned in the slightest.
Generally, I think it’s better to peak as late as possible. Feel me?
On the meeting Kerri bit obviously I meant Al.
You met Kerri in my kitchen.
Al knew Norman and met Tizzy because they were losely in the same social circles. Because Kerri hasn’t and isn’t is only coincidental and therefore not salient.
Just to be clear, my main point here is that Tizzy Lockman is as good a candidate as Kerri Harris — community roots count for more than you think, as I’m pretty sure longtime Delawareans vote more than transients — but she’s running for a more attainable office. Strong candidate, weak incumbent is a recipe for outsider success.
Kerri’s opponent is not weak. Haven’t seen any recent approval numbers, but he’s never gone below 55%. Age and health are weaknesses, but he hasn’t had to campaign hard, which would have been the only way to show that to the public.
IIRC, I said what she’d have to do to win months ago. She hasn’t done it, and I haven’t seen any reason to change my mind about what that means.
I have no interest in meeting Kerri. I don’t campaign and I don’t cheerlead. Sorry.
And if you want to go butch on me, we’ll see who’s right in September, capisce? I’ll bet you a beer on it, and I’ll buy either way.
Just BTW, the old-fashioned idea I’m talking about is name recognition, which is as old as the Romans. So yeah, you say you want a revolution…
Not everyone agrees with your proclamation of what she has to do.
Maybe you are right, I don’t know.
Fine, Rev. She’s gonna create a new method of winning campaigns. Apparently w/o volunteers and w/o money. Can’t wait to see it.
The only reason I mentioned meeting her is because you said how impressed you were speaking with Tizzy. Is speaking with the person important or not?
Like I said, you’re sour because they aren’t doing what you would do or what you said was to be done or what Townsend did. This idea is like the electibility concept. This means nothing to me.
She has volunteers and money. Don’t be daft.
She has fewer volunteers and less money than she should have. There are times when your over-the-top persona are counterproductive. I think this is one of those times.
Know what, though? We’ll get a chance to see if whatever they’re doing will work. I honestly hope it does. But stomping on people who support the campaign but have legitimate concerns is not a winning tactic.
I’m not the one dictating exactly how everyting works and will always work apparently, and I gave an over-the-top persona. Neat.
And as you know, it’s not just a persona.
You worked in Dover and Al worked in the media. (Make a special note of the verb tense.)
You think you know the one and only way to skin Carper’s cat.
Perhaps you do. We’ll see.
Rev, does she have enough money even to file? Let alone pay the interns she’s hiring?
I’m disappointed by the Harris campaign as well. If there is energy, I’m not seeing it – and campaigns need energy to thrive. Do I want her to win? Of course. But I’m not holding my breath.
I’m not stomping on anyone. I’m asking you to consider that the way you’d do it isn’t the only way it can be done.
I’m not even arguing the concerns aren’t valid.
Like I said, I know a few things about a few things, but I don’t pick a fight or a fighter based on who I think will win or whether they do it the way I’d do it.
I pick a fighter who’s fighting the thing that needs fought.
Between us and everyone else here, yeah I’m disappointed too.
I’d love to hammer away at Carper every day starting months ago. But I know who’s making the decisions and I trust them. It’s not my area of expertise.
Poor Sussex Watcher is very worried about money. It’s like the 4th time you asked. All I can tell you is, in the heiraechy of worries I have, the shit Al and Steve are talking about are higher than money to file.
Don’t worry about the dough, bud. Of course you could go ahead and kick in to help out if you’re concerned.. 🙂
If the fighter employs a strategy that ensures they’ll lose, then it’s appropriate to at least urge a change in strategy. I’m through with these circular arguments that go nowhere. I think I’ve made my point. I hope my concerns are completely unfounded.
Ensures they’ll lose…
Presumptuous. Again. I get painted as over the top. While you state that because you personally haven’t observed the correct activity in the first week of June it..
Ensures they’ll lose.
If anyone else on here made statements like that we’d laugh them off a cliff.
Again, just to be clear, I don’t think they’re unfounded concerns. I have my own similar ones. But if it come from this belief is electorial campaign dogma I ask that you evaluate what you believe the dogma is.
That’s all…
No reason to be down in the dumps just yet because they aren’t doing what you’d do.
My viewpoint is an outside observer’s. My points about Tizzy are made only to explain where my local financial support is going this election cycle. I defer to El Som on campaign tactics.
If Kerri has enough followers, great. As I said months ago, and I think this is true of modern campaigns more than past ones, the key is identifying your voters and keeping after them to get off the couch (or away from the soccer game) to vote. I don’t know who is running the campaign, but I’d be surprised if they weren’t doing exactly that.
Truth be told, I hear more public grumbling about Coons than Carper, which I think speaks mostly to brand loyalty. But there’s no buzz among liberals my age I know, and we geezers are more likely to vote. That might mean nothing, you’re right.
All fair points.
Damn, time ran out on me. I wanted to add, keeping contact via door-knockers is exactly what the Sturgeon campaign is doing with me. I’ve been visited twice now, even though I’ve given my pledge to vote for her. That kind of contact cements her name and candidacy in a voter’s mind.
This is the kind of shoe leather work you can do in a senate or house district election that you can’t do statewide — or maybe you can with social media. I suppose we’ll find out.
Harris campaign has lead organizers in each county for this very reason.
I like that you all are concerned, because you know Carper must go.
Yes, it’s much easier to do this is a representative district than all three counties.
Without $10,400 cash on hand at noon on July 10, there is no campaign and all the rhetorical genius and earnest issue advocacy and podcast interviews in the world are for nothing. The filing fee is the price of admission to play in the Show. That’s $50 from 208 people – easy to raise if you have a good organization. As of March 31, the only benchmark we have, Kerri had raised $23K and had $5,151 on hand. That’s why I’m worried.
I have kicked in money to her, for whatever it’s worth. I might be inclined to do so again if I can see that my investment is a good one – but I’m not throwing money down a hole when there are others who could make an actual difference.
Just like El Som, I haven’t heard a peep from the campaign since I donated. I didn’t give anywhere near the maximum limit, so I’m a prime prospect to be hit up again … and nothing. No call asking for another check, no email with an easy-to-click link, not even another invitation to a face-to-face at your place. Silence.
Now, I’m just a redneck from south of the canal, but even I know that’s not how you run a city council campaign, let alone a Senate one.
Ralph does not stand a chance against Sean, he tried four years ago, and lost miserably. The people like Sean and will keep Sean
Again, it’s a fair point. Small donors haven’t been hit up again. I know.
I, like you all, would love to see massive rallies and door knocking on a weekly basis. My point is I wouldn’t put as much stock in it at this point as you do.
When you are needed you won’t feel tired and wrung out.
This is all for you! 🙂
Kerri was at an event in Sussex last week I think. The fact you didn’t know is a concern. Are you on social media at all?
Rev, I don’t give a shit about massive rallies. I just want proof that there is actually a campaign going on out there and that my money is not going to waste. To bounce off of El Som: If Kerri and her volunteers are indeed out there doing things, show us! Create that feeling of fighting camaraderie that is so vital to organizing an actual movement.
If you’re talking about the RD 38 picnic, yes, I knew about it. I got an email from the campaign telling me about it on Thursday evening (the event was Saturday) and then another email in the middle of the night saying sorry, we fucked up, it’s not a free public event after all but a fundraiser and here are the details. Things like that do not instill confidence.
I’m ok with contributing to losing campaigns; I’m not ok with contributing to campaigns that lose because they don’t know what they’re doing.
Not her event, technically, but sorry for the confusion.
Look, I’m not running the campaign, but I know who is. All I can tell is they know what they’re doing. They’ve been incredibly active in identifying key people to manage all aspects of the campaign. Do you know her campaign manager? I thought this was public information, more or less. I think if you knew who it was you’d be cool.
Kerri and volunteers have been out in the street many times already. She’s appeared at dozens public events. I get that it’s not enough for you. I get that you want to see more. That’s great.
I see this as something that’s going to build in tiers to a crescendo at a specified time rather than just storming out of the gate.
I hear you though, sincerely. I just think that keeping up the level enthusiasm and camaraderie necessary over the course of months is self defeating. There’s no way to turn the level to 9 or 10 (or 11) and keep it there statewide for four months.
OK, here’s where I am. I’ve donated, I’ve knocked doors.
I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that I’m one of a very few volunteers. Couldn’t even get one of those stick-ons to identify myself as a volunteer when knocking doors. Yes, I asked.
So, I’m gonna devote most of my volunteer time to another campaign. Maybe that’s ‘adding by subtracting’, I don’t know. I doubt that it’s something to be encouraged by any campaign.
I know who is running the campaign. That’s one reason I was so psyched. At this point, I’m disappointed. I’ll point out that a lot of people have already read this post. It’d be nice to see someone else involved in the campaign help to ‘talk me down’. So far, the Rev is the only one. Which is to his credit. Believe me, no one will be happier to admit that my concern was unfounded than me.
The other thing that’s funny to me is this.
I’ve never really been politically active. Not like this. I always had the same or similar political ideology (socialist democratic left, Marxist), but I never really did anything but vote.
Now I see it first hand. It’s public information that my wife is Tizzy’s campaign treasurer and it’s no secret I’m close friends with Kerri and her camp. To see the two campaigns compared and contrasted based on historical expectations and very loose personal connections is very entertaining.
The fact is, on the state wide stage for a national political seat in the Democratic party, there is absolutely no precedence for this so far as I know. (I’d love to hear what you think about this assertion.)
The idea that the Harris campaign isn’t meeting someone’s expectations makes me examine the expectations as well. That’s all I’m saying.
I don’t know the number of volunteers so I don’t know what your expectations are for “few” or “many”.
You come to a conclusion based on your own individual ideas. I understand the concern (like I said) and I share it to some extent, but I do not share your preconceived notions about the existential relevance of stick-ons or online photos or the volume of follow-up solicitations. I just don’t.
Maybe I’m completely off base. Like I said, it’s my first time.
I know you’ll be active and I know what your politics are. You know who the best candidate is. As far as how you spend your time, I understand that’s a decision for you.
You know, not for nothing, and I’m not to really on social media either, but after having the conversation today I was curious.
https://mobile.twitter.com/KerriHarrisDE/status/1000498212418080768
https://mobile.twitter.com/KerriHarrisDE/status/1001517704724008961
https://mobile.twitter.com/KerriHarrisDE/status/1002985767558418433
https://mobile.twitter.com/KerriHarrisDE/status/1002533284721684480
These are all in the last like week to 10 days.
Look, maybe they aren’t reaching your demographic but the means you’re used to. And that’s maybe on them…
But come…
El Som’s talking about working for Townsend pre Twitter, more or less.
This is what I’m saying.
Just because you don’t get a blast email or phone call, it’s happening.
Those are encouraging. I knocked doors with someone in those pictures. But (a) it’s still not many people, and (b) if a tree falls in a forest but nobody hears it…
Not off the ledge. But one foot is seeking an open window…
It’s just a few links from last week. I’m not arguing it covers everything.
But all the fucking moaning this morning. Doom and gloom, crew.
Ralph Taylor ran a primary against Sean Lynn in 2014. He lost 60-40. His vocal pro-life position and other hardly-progressive stands didn’t go over well. He’s part of the evangelical movement this year in both parties here in Kent County that’s trying to have an impact (see the primary between David Anderson and Jean Dowding for the Republican nomination — Dowding was Lynn’s opponent in 2016 and lost 2-1).
Thanks. I figured there was a backstory. Looks like he’s trying to keep his abortion position on the down-low this time.
Didn’t pray enough, Mr Taylor. That or god hates him. Poor chap.
In 2016 Ralph Taylor planned to run against Sean Lynn as a Republican.
In 2018 he told the County Chairman he was moving out of Dover.
He is connected to former State Rep Nancy Wagner.
This is Likely the Rs best plan to try and unseat Lynn – run a DINO.
Yeah, that confused me. His Facebook page alluded to a 2016 run for State Rep, but I checked the Department of Elections results and realized that he hadn’t.