Delaware Political Weekly: Jan. 7-13, 2022
1. Filing Fees Finalized. Candidates Start Filing. Here’s who have so far:
Jack Bucchioni: D-SD 6 in Sussex County. This is the district currently held by R Ernie Lopez, who is retiring, at least from this seat.
Mark Pugh: R-SD 14 in Kent County. This is the district currently held by Bruce Ennis. Pugh got 40.5% of the vote against Ennis in 2020.
Edward Ruyter: R-SD 17 in Kent County. Ruyter is either a farmer or a real estate agent–or–perhaps a farmer and a real estate agent. Doesn’t matter. This district, currently held by Trey Paradee, is overwhelmingly D, featuring most of the City of Dover.
Greg Fuller, Sr. : Sussex County Register of Wills. Turncoat Fuller was gifted the Sussex County Register of Wills position by then-Governor Ruth Ann Minner, then lost it. He switched parties, of course, after ‘lots of prayer’.
2. Newark Mayor Jerry Clifton To Retire. Setting up one of those non-partisan elections where everybody knows who the D candidate and the R candidate are. The municipal elections will take place in April.
3. Kayode Abegunde Says He’s Running For Insurance Commissioner. Again. He’ll start out the year with an imposing $649.81 in the ol’ coffers.
4. Shout-Out To Mitch Crane. He had collected a pretty significant amount of money for a campaign in SD 6, but was drawn out of the district. He gave back every single one of the donations. And donated $600 to Kyra Hoffner, who is running for Senate in SD 14. She would be a progressive alternative to Bruce Ennis.
What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?
Rumor mill. Lopez was concerned about his affair with McGuiness coming to light because of her legal troubles. His announcement to not run came at a time when people were learning about the investigation.
But–it already CAME to light.
I mean, it’s an open secret, but there’s a difference between that and something that is just straight-up public knowledge.
Sometimes, the truth is truly the most boring of stories. His kids are about to go off to college and he wants to enjoy life. But also, he has a caucus that is less and less accepting of his middle of the road ways. I suspect he’s kind of sick of being a part of a caucus that no longer wishes to sound sane
Plausible. Someone who prizes his reputation as one of the “decent” ones would hate to have to scrape for votes among the dregs of the DEGOP lunatic sludge.
Nor would that self-styled “decent” person like to have his private thruple (or whatever) dragged out into the public.
Correction:
Mark Pugh is the brother of Craig who ran against Ennis in 2020. Pugh owns a small engine shop in front of Dover Downs.
Thanks! I checked. You’re right.
Gotta say, that’s unusual.
Any idea why the other brother from (presumably) the same mother is running instead of 2020’s brother?
Not sure but he ran for office years ago. Not sure of the whole record but he ran against Pam Thornburg 20 or so years ago. Very conservative repub
I wonder if they’re related to ‘The Briscoes’. A pro rasslin’ tag team, a successful one at that, who are really The Pughs from Laurel DE.
They’re both RWNJ’s as well:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Briscoe_Brothers
The RWNJ part?:
https://www.cagesideseats.com/2013/5/8/4313530/roh-world-champion-jay-briscoes-blatant-homophobia-should-embarrass-the-wrestling-industry