The Delaware Political Hot Stove: Sept., 2019

There’s a subscribers’ only News-Journal article up today and, while it mostly recounts what we already knew, they broke some news. News that I had not printed b/c I was told off-the-record.  But it could be a pretty big deal for the composition of the Delaware State Senate. We’ll start with that:

1. Jaci Hugg, the wife of long-time Smyrna Town Manager David Hugg, will challenge David Lawson in SD 18.  Or maybe she won’t. She’s running, but Lawson has gone back and forth on whether to seek reelection. Hugg currently works as a Legislative Assistant for Sen. Bruce Ennis, and has a BS in Business Management from Wilmington University.  The Hugg name is highly regarded in Kent County, so she won’t have to struggle to get name recognition.  She’ll be a formidable challenger. This also, IMO, makes it more difficult for any R representative who might live in the district to seek the nod if Lawson retires. Why give up a close-to-sure thing when your chances of winning are maybe only a little bit better than 50-50? Especially when the term you are seeking is for only two years, just like your term for representative. Definitely a race to watch.

2. D Primary shapes up in race to challenge Cathy Cloutier in SD 5. Attorney Kyle Evans Gay, who is supported by Sen. Bryan Townsend, will face Arden Town Assembly Chair Jeff Politis, and Eric Levin, who had run against Greg Lavelle for Lavelle’s House seat a few cycles ago.  I support Gay, but I know all three, and I think that this primary will actually be good for the eventual nominee.  I don’t see it getting nasty, and the district now has such a strong D majority that whoever wins the primary will likely prevail over Cloutier, especially in a year that Trump is on the ballot.

3. Ramone & Barry Headed For Rematch.  Each month, the registration numbers become more incrementally D. Sine the 2018 election, there are 87 more registered D’s and 26 fewer registered R’s. But the big difference is that, in a presidential year, voter turnout in this district will favor the D’s far more than in an off-year election. Ramone’s tough, but I’d rather be in Barry’s position right now.

4. State R Chair Jane Brady is having a hard time recruiting somebody, anybody, to run.  I mean, what R non-incumbent in NCC would want to take part in a suicide mission?  Or run statewide, for that matter? Inspirational quotes from the retired ‘judge’:

“There are these tremendously energetic groups of people … who think they’re alone in this sea of opposition and liberal thought,” Brady said. “A lot of young people share our views, but they haven’t been actively involved.”

The party leader said she’s so far met with 11 potential candidates for legislative, county and statewide positions since the spring. (Editor’s Note: That’s not many.)

“The majority are still white,” Brady said. “But there is diversity in that group.”

Uh-huh.

What are you hearing out there?