Delaware Political Weekly: Nov. 2 To Nov. 8, 2021
I’d imagine that this feature will migrate off of Tuesdays at some point. But I put the first one up last Tuesday, and it suits my current work schedule.
Besides, I’ve got stuff.
1. First Would-Be Successor To Rep. David Bentz Surfaces. And he has all the earmarks of a legitimate candidate. Martin Willis filed his campaign committee paperwork with the Department of Elections. There’s quite a bit about him online. He is a boilermaker with Boilermakers Local 13 in Philadelphia. He graduated from Mt. Pleasant in 1984, and has been active in the Democratic Party. He has publicly opposed racism in all its forms. His ‘go-to’ quote on Facebook is the following:
Science is not truth. Science is finding the truth. When science changes its opinion, it didn’t lie to you. It learned more.
I like that. Which is not to say that I don’t have questions. Willis has often supported projects that could impact the Coastal Zone Act. He also supported the huge data center project at UD, which ultimately was turned down. He was, however, a gracious loser:
……..”It’s disappointing. But Amy Roe and her army, they outworked us,” Martin Willis, a union boilermaker who hoped to work on the project, told me, citing a Newark resident who led protests. “The Delaware Chamber of Commerce, the unions kept telling us, ‘This project is going to happen.’ We went to [Newark city] hearings to say things positive. But there was a lot of pressure against us in that community of Newark,” Willis added.
So. An intriguing candidate (and a strong Biden volunteer). BTW, he appears to have an enemy in Nancy Willing. I hope we get a chance to talk to him. I’ll reach out. Anybody know him well enough to share your thoughts?
2. Dr. Julia Pillsbury (Remember Her?) To Run For Dover City Council. She was the Republican nominee for Insurance Commissioner in 2020. She got 40.5% of the vote, pretty much about what you’d expect an R running statewide to get. In this race, she is running for a ‘non-partisan’ seat on Dover City Council. A special election to fill a vacancy. The election will be on Tuesday, November 16. Her ‘non-partisan’ opponent is Brandy Walker. BTW, how pathetic is that article? To (half-) wit:
The election will be held on Tuesday, November 16th from 7 pm. to 8 p.m. at the Elks Lodge in Dover.
A one-hour election? What if you’re a fan of Jeopardy? And Wheel Of Fortune?
Don’t worry, it’s 7 am to 8 pm. The City Of Dover got it right.
BTW, this fig leaf of non-partisan elections should really be abandoned. Both major parties generally back candidates w/o publicly backing them. Why keep party affiliation a secret?
I said I had stuff. Just not lotsa stuff. It’s early. Things will start poppin’ soon.
What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?
Dover City Council Member, and well known lunatic, David Anderson, made the news recently.
…Anderson – who referred to the ACLU as the “American Criminal Lovers Union” in an Oct. 29 Facebook post – wrote that the group’s criticism means he is “on the right track.”…
Derp.
‘Anti-dawdling’. Sounds like David Anderson.
Martin Willis is a good guy – compassionate, smart and always willing to volunteer.
Martin Willis is a stand up guy. He speaks truth to power no matter what. He’s even opposed his union friends on issues of diversity within their own ranks; Privately and publicly. He’s a blue collar, lunch pale, democrat. He’s earned his stripes supporting and volunteering for candidates and causes for years.
Martin is about the work, not just taking FB photos like half these politicians. Dover needs more people who’ve actually had real jobs. Hope he wins.
OK. NOW I’ve got to interview him…
Yeah I like Martin. He’s a union guy who’s gone after Jimmy Maravelias multiple times over the racism and good ole boy attitudes within the organization. He shows up and supports Dems at every turn and does the work. I think he’d be a great addition.
He goes after James Maravelias? Sign me UP!
Anybody who goes after the blatant racism in the construction trades has a friend in me.
huh?
Martin Willis and I are friends.
You know, unlike much of the immaturity seeping through this place, other places are full of people of warmth and good cheer who triump one another’s successes and find common ground with good and decent neighbors. Try it sometime.
To you, a circa 2014 event must mean no one evolves, no one finds connections and value and yes, sometimes continued disagreements.
Grow up.
I read your article, Nancy. I linked to it. I take time to do that when researching someone. So don’t pull that shit with me. If you and Martin are friends now, fine. Makes me feel better about him. Here’s what you wrote in your comments to him:
“As usual, you can’t or won’t see things for what they are.”
So stop with the pejoratives. And be thankful for whatever extra hits you get. And don’t play dumb. Of COURSE you shouldn’t be tied forever for something you wrote in 2014. A simple update would have been fine w/o pretending to be nonplussed.