We have never seen this before in Dover. Not ever. Yes, we have had progressive legislators in the Delaware General Assembly, but they have consistently faced uphill battles against the Delaware Way and the ‘leadership’ that perpetuates the Delaware Way. Like the leadership of the House D Caucus, which may only be one more election cycle away from disintegration. Three cop lovers, no waiting.
The closest we have ever come to what has happened in the Delaware State Senate was likely the deal that was struck between Sen. Karen Peterson and Patti Blevins back in 2013. In exchange for agreeing to not challenge Blevins for the President Pro-Tempore position, Peterson extracted a promise from Blevins to enable progressive legislation to make its way to the floor. Which was progress, although the composition of the Senate at that time made it difficult to pass a lot of progressive legislation.
This is a whole ‘nother ballgame entirely. How? Let me count the ways:
1. The entire Senate leadership team is comprised of progressives. What’s perhaps most important is that, as the President Pro-Tem, Senator Dave Sokola appoints the membership to all Senate committees, including the Senate members of the Joint Finance Committee and the Bond Bill Committee. He can guarantee that the key committees have enough progressive-minded senators on them to ensure that legislation makes it to the floor. Neither Sokola nor his Caucus are in the mood to bow down to the Governor’s wishes. Meaning, the governor and the House will have to adjust accordingly. No more rubber-stamping the burying of bills. Plus, and this is important, this will be the leadership team that oversees redistricting.
2. The Caucus as a whole is progressive. There is not a single member of the caucus, not one, who is not ‘gettable’ on certain progressive initiatives. Bruce Ennis supports a $15 minimum wage, Trey Paradee sponsors marijuana legalization legislation, Stephanie Hansen supports stronger environmental policy, Nicole Poore…well, that leaves Nicole Poore.
3. Nicole Poore is out of leadership. Her ambition consisted solely of pumping up her pocketbook and her brand. Congratulations, Nicole, you’re the biggest loser.
4. The entire relationship between the Senate and the Governor has changed. Part of the problem with the Delaware Way has been the extent to which the General Assembly has often rolled over to the governor. No, not just John Carney, but every single governor I’ve known from my time in the General Assembly up to now. Oversimplified, but: The governor proposes, the GA disposes. I look for the Senate to be the source of more impactful legislation than either the Governor or the House this session. And, you know what? The legislation is likely not only to be impactful, but popular.
5. These new senators are not your garden-variety senators. Not only are they young, but they are exceedingly accomplished in their chosen fields, and they’ve chosen to run for the senate when they could be making a whole lot more money pretty much anywhere else. Nothing even approaching a retired cop in the bunch. Meaning, they’re not there to bask in the accolades, and they are not there to take the Poore/Longhurst path to financial security. During the Rev’s interview with Kyle Evans Gay (which was before the election), Kyle made the point that she did not view the truncated session that the Democratic leadership foisted on its members this past year as acceptable. I’m sure that she wasn’t just speaking for herself. Which also means that these progressives will be preparing and introducing serious legislation early in the upcoming session with the intent of working it.
6. There is tremendous synergy among the progressive senators (and the progressive House members) who were elected for the first time this year. I think this is something that might have escaped you if you didn’t have some involvement with these campaigns. Campaigns generally take place in their own relatively closed environments. That wasn’t the case this year. The mutual support among these first-time candidates was something I’ve never seen before in all my time in government and in blogging about government. It was exhilarating. Call it the ‘Sisterhood of Synergy’, call it what you want, but it demonstrated a generosity which I think means that there will be far more cooperation among these candidates-turned-officeholders than you might imagine. They’re gonna work together real well.
7. The House Democratic Leadership will be forced out of their comfort zone. Not only will they have to consider progressive legislation coming over from the Senate, they will have to deal with a caucus that is far more progressive than the one that preceded it. The Cop Lovers won’t be able to beat down the dissenters with nightsticks any more. Pete ‘n Val have seen that insurgent candidacies are no joke, and they know that if the next cycle in the House is anything like the one we just experienced, they will no longer be in leadership and, who knows, one or two of them may not even be members of the House come the 2022 election. (That reminds me. A ‘Mo’ Better Democrats’ watchlist is coming soon).
8. The Governor will be forced out of his comfort zone. Since the Senate in part controls the fate of the Governor’s agenda, if he has one this year, they will be in a position to bargain the governor off of his opposition to certain initiatives, perhaps including the legalization of marijuana.
9. An entire litany of progressive legislation will likely be considered this year in the Senate. Higher minimum wage, police reform, criminal justice, environmental justice, economic justice (including perhaps an increase in taxes for Delaware’s wealthiest), gun control, a strengthening of public education for Delaware’s most at-risk students, and a lot more.
The first regularly-scheduled legislative session day is Tuesday, January 12, 2021. I can’t wait.