RIP: Sen. Bob Venables
If you are to know just one thing about Bob Venables, it’s this: He was a tremendously empathetic human being. Whenever anyone needed help, he tried, and often succeeded. Didn’t matter one’s station in life, didn’t matter how someone could help him, he just wanted to help. He was a good person, without malice, without guile.
Oh, sure, he was a conservative Democrat from Sussex County. But, he wasn’t doctrinaire. I especially appreciated how, as chair of the Bond Committee, he set off the alarms about the draconian drug laws that the Tom Sharps, Jim Vaughns, and Jane Bradys were imposing with impunity. He warned that excessive spending on more prison space imperiled spending on schools and other vital projects.
As Sen. Sokola pointed out, “Whether it was fighting to protect Delaware’s vital family farms, our beautiful state parks, our thriving wildlife areas, or expanding our network of bike trails, nobody worked harder to preserve our natural resources and enhance our quality of life than Bob during his 26 years of public service.”
I hope that he had much to savor in his post-Senate years. My deepest sympathies to those who knew and loved him.
I agree with your sentiments about Senator Venables. He was a true gentleman. I recall that his first question to bureaucrats during budget hearings
was, “When someone calls your agency does a live person answer the phone?”. Seems he felt that governing began with listening.
Thanks, Mark. I didn’t know that, but that’s definitely something Sen. Venables would have asked.
He was the head of the bond committee and the fools in his district vote in a republican
He had a long run. The district became more Rethuglican as time went on. He was the last Sussex D senator standing.
I remember the politicians of days gone by, they tended to be “Men Of Good Will”, you might not agree with them but you probably respected them. Sadly they are now long gone, it started in the eighties and has only grown worse.
Could be a new Sussex Dem down here but I’m not sure how all the Jersey and NY transplants flooding in will vote
Also depends if they vote for Russell Huxtable or the perennial candidate Bucchioni in the primary. One has a shot at winning, the other makes cringe worthy television
Could be more than a two-way as well. D opportunities don’t pop up that often in Suxco.
There are rumors former State Senator David McBride is considering a run for the 6th Senate District.
Right. I’d welcome it for comedic purposes.