Erik Raser-Schramm Steps Down As D Party Chair, Will Join Matt Meyer’s Staff
This is great news for Erik. He is by far the best political operative in Delaware. As Democratic Party Chair, he opened up the Party to grassroots activism, opened the Party up to primaries, fought for inclusiveness, and helped the Party to establish dominance in Delaware. Prior to becoming Chair, he helped the House Democratic Caucus finally attain, and keep, the majority.
He has built grassroots campaigns from scratch, and has completely modernized the Party. He is also one of my all-time favorite people in Delaware politics. His summation of his time as chair illustrates why I admire him so much:
“Winning elections is obviously the goal of a political party, but it’s how we did it that I’m proud of the most,” Raser-Schramm said. “We worked hard to open up our party to hundreds of new activists, donors, campaign staff, and candidates, who now feel at home under the Delaware Democratic Party banner,” he said in a prepared statement. “For me, it’s not just about the number of seats we hold, it’s the fact that the people who hold them reflect Delaware’s diversity more than ever before. It’s the fact that from D.C. to Dover, our leaders are doing the hard work that make our state a healthier, more prosperous, and more equitable place for everyone who calls it home.”
Erik will become the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for NCC County Executive Matt Meyer. I have to think that this move makes it more likely that Meyer has designs on higher office after his stint as County Executive.
Jesse Chadderdon will stay on with the Party through the end of Erik’s scheduled term, and Betsy Maron (John Daniello’s daughter) will assume the role of temporary chair until June.
John Daniello’s daughter? Let’s hope that apple rolled far, far away from that crooked tree.
John wasn’t crooked. In fact, he took on the crooked reign of Gene Reed. And he ran for New Castle County Levy Court, expressly stating that he was running to eliminate the office he sought. I’ve always respected him.
He sure hated primaries, though…
I agree with you El. He was anything but crooked. You may not like him Alby, but John was a straight shooter
I stand corrected.
Interesting to note that as ERS was opening the party and enjoying success, the DEGOP was being boiled down to a noxious tar of hard core racist losers.
Since you brought it up – where does Matt Meyer go from here? My first thought is taking the House seat after LBR takes whichever Senate seat becomes available first.
Good question. We know of some moving parts coming up, and there well could be more, especially if Biden, say, names Coons to a Cabinet post. Carney can’t run for a third term, Carper will almost certainly retire, or be defeated in a primary.
With Meyer being County Executive, logic would dictate perhaps a run for Governor, or running on a ticket with Bethany Hall Long.
As you know, it’s tough for straight white guys to be elected in Delaware these days. So, maybe running with Bethany is his best bet. However, say that Coons gets that cabinet post, or Carper doesn’t finish his term. LBR would logically move up to the Senate, and maybe Matt fills out the rest of Lisa’s term in the House.
I believe vacancies to House seats are filled by special election, not by appointment. Would not look good for a recently elected crisis manager to appear to be abandoning the crisis to test his capacity for upward mobility.
My hunch is that LBR waits to inherit Carper’s seat and Jack Markell, now involved in the Biden transition, replaces Coons if he’s named to the Cabinet.
Where did Markell pop up in the transition team? I was scanning for his name on the Education group and was relieved when I didn’t see it.
Matt has worked hard during Covid and has many admirable policy positions. However, he has had problems getting along with good elected officials at every level of government. If it were 1 or 2 conflicts, maybe it’s the other person, but at a certain point a pattern is established.
If Matt has some rough edges, there is no one I’d rather have working with him than Erik.
Plus, the people Matt pissed off–the county cops and some of the construction trades–had to search far and wide to find somebody, anybody, willing to challenge him in the primary.
When you try to make real change, you antagonize those who have had it pretty cushy previously.
I don’t know if I’d say that unions have had it cushy…
Compared to whom?
Did they take pay cuts during the pandemic? Did they lose their jobs? No? Maybe you’re the one who should reassess.
Where did Markell pop up in the transition team? I was scanning for his name on the Education group and was relieved when I didn’t see it.
He was one of the few named sources in a Washington Post article on the transition that I read a day or two ago. Did not pin him to a specific role. I haven’t seen his name on any of the agency teams either. Only Delaware name I picked up on was Mike McCabe, who worked for Biden in the ’80s and ’90s before becoming regional administrator of the EPA.
Pretty sure Alex Mackler was on the Judiciary agency team.