Delaware Political Weekly, February 4-10, 2022
Hoo-boy, now we’re talkin’! A hot-stove political junkie’s dream of a week.
1. More RD 4 Nomination Post-Mortems. The alleged rationales for choosing Bud Freel (other than ‘he’s one of us’ in the most clannish sense) were mere fig leafs. Whatever name recognition advantage that Bud Freel might have over Dr. Bohm would not have mattered one whit against Attorney Horse D. Wormer (henceforth to be known as Horsey D), who has already demonstrated on our blog that he suffers from hoof-in-mouth disease. Not to mention, I think Bohm would have activated quite the grassroots campaign, which is perhaps the real reason why the all-white committee that chose Bud feared her. As to whether Dr. Bohm should step down from the Red Clay School Board, it is only fair to demand that Bud step down from the Industrial Accident Board, something that no committee member brought up. After all, they pass judgement on what the law says, meaning that Bud would both be enacting laws as a legislator and enforcing the laws as a board member. That is unconstitutional. As an aside, the Industrial Accident Board has been a traditional repository for ex-politicians and ex-politicos (aka mostly hacks). You pick up a few extra bucks while saying hello to people you know in the Carvel Building. John Daniello used to be on the board. If Gerald Brady hadn’t screwed up, he would have been a natural.
2. Kim Petters Gunning For Colin Bonini. Figuratively, one is to presume. I’m calling it: I think this could be the end of the career for arguably Delaware’s laziest legislator. Petters heads up an organization that basically advocates for the arming of women. Pretty much ‘An AK-47 In Every Kitchen’. (Now I know where Cathy Cloutier got her gun agenda from.) Her organization also pushed for legalizing gun purchases for those who take medical marijuana. Pretty sure that bill will pass, if it hasn’t already. Meaning, Petters has accomplished more as a civilian than Bonini has as a legislator. In an R primary, I think she takes him out. In fact, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Bonini folds and retires, perhaps moves back to Cali. Two questions for our readers from that area: (1) Do you agree?; and (2) Do D’s have a shot in the 16th SD?
3. Serial (Losing) Candidate Files To Lose Again. He holds the distinction of having lost to two different state reps in two different districts. His name is Timothy Conrad. Works in transportation at UD. He’s an R. He got 31.27% of the vote in a 2016 run against State Rep. Ed Osienski. He moved, then got 28.4% against Madinah Wilson-Anton in 2020, with whom he is seeking a rematch. The trend is not his friend. BTW, in a Ballotpedia survey, Conrad listed Mike Ramone as the person he most looked up to.
4. Bleeploads Of Candidates Seek Vacant Wilmington City Council Seat. This is the seat being vacated by Rysheema Dixon. It’s an At-Large seat. Wilmington does not lack for would-be politicians running at-large. City Council will choose the successor. That should be quite the show. Here are the people who nominated themselves:
- Charity E. Cramer
- Jordan M. Hines
- Monica P. Alvarez
- Erin Chudzik-Pryor
- Kenneth C. Brown
- Albert Mills (Nnamdi’s brother?)
- Kathleen Patterson
- Steven E. Bridgett
- Lisa Davis
- Haneef Salaam
- Albert J. Ryans
- John Johnson, Jr.
- Deborah E. Kraak
- Coby Owens
- Davon M. Hall
- Wesley Smith, Jr.
- Donald A. Farrell
- Gary Linarducci (he’s a D now?)
- Kathleen Perkins
I think this lineup defies cogent analysis, but if you’d like to, have at it.
5. Candidate Filings: In addition to those already mentioned, NCC Councilman David Carter (D-CD 6) and State Rep. Franklin Cooke (D-RD 16) have filed for reelection. Won’t anybody primary Cooke, who is one of Dover’s chief cop enablers?
What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?
You put a “racial” spin in “More RD 4 Nomination Post-Mortems,” but in “Bleeploads Of Candidates Seek Vacant Wilmington City Council Seat” you conveniently sidestepped the impact race has on the selection of the candidate to replace Rysheema Dixon on council. We know a non-African American doesn’t have a shot at selection.
I didn’t ‘conveniently’ try to do anything. That’s why I wrote:
“I think this lineup defies cogent analysis, but if you’d like to, have at it.”
It’s also why I wrote, and write every week:
“What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?”
Ok. So you missed the racial aspect of the city council selection process. Whaddayathink?
While I don’t live in the city, I’m thinking you’re probably correct.
It’s a citywide post, the city is a minority-majority city, and eight of the 11 members who will determine who fills the post are Black.
Have you been through a process like this before? How will Council work through 19 applications?
Well, to your point “Black” residents make up the majority of the population. Simultaneously, “White” residents make up the majority of RD4.
You insinuated that Bud was chosen over Dr. Bohm by the RD4 committee because Bud is regarded as white while Bohm identifies as black. Presuming city council selects a black candidate because of the candidates race and assuming RD4 selected Bud because of his race, what’s the difference?
Let’s kill the suspense – No difference.
My point is, it’s important to call out racism (or discrimination based on sex, religion, national origin, disability, etc etc) regardless of who the perpetrator(s) are, especially if the point is made within the same article / post. However, most often, a candidate is selected for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with a protected class. In this case, Bud’s close relationship with the decision makers probably gave him an advantage, but race isn’t the issue.
For the record, I worked with Bud and support RD4’s Democratic committee’s decision to nominate him.
Oh, I’m sorry.
Was trying to engage you in a respectful conversation.
My bad.
Did you write the honorable? Lmao you are a bum. There are student councils more qualified.
El Som,
Offending you wasn’t my objective. I’m providing my opinion as you did yours.
I believe some of you at del lib are a little sensitive at times. I realize this is at times an insular community but dissenting opinions shouldn’t be passed-off as disrespectful.
Put your big boy pants on and respond to my previous comment… or don’t.
Dissenting opinions aren’t passed off as disrespectful. Snide responses can easily be viewed as such. Like your responses. Anybody who uses the term ‘big boy pants’ is, by definition, being snide.
I take your point. What we had here was a committee, in the City of Wilmington no less, with no minorities whatsoever on it. Bud is, by his own admission, a lame duck. The committee had every right to choose him. I think they were myopic in doing so. That particular committee wasn’t going to choose anybody but Bud. That’s not ‘implied’, that’s real. Not so much because of ‘race’, but because that committee epitomizes the Delaware Way. A Delaware Way that is dying off.
We straight now?
Al Mills is Nnamdi’s brother yes.
Coby and Haneef (ACLU policy manager) are the best candidates. Which is why they’ll select Mills.
Speaking of legal “selections” that imitate a democratic processes, if you keep up with this Freel appointment criticism Dave is going to blow a gasket! lol.
Dave and I are both immune to your attempts to puff up your self-importance. lol.
Lol. Don’t be silly
Honestly Kim Petters is down right dangerous….
At least Bonnini is lazy
I may have to cut a check to Bonni over that wing bat Petters being in Dover
You have a point. Even better cut a check for the Dem.
Bonini at least can be very friendly; Peters is a true believer and definitely more dangerous.
If First State Update were a candidate, it would be Kim Petters. And although FSU is a website that looks like if a 1998 Geocities page were photocopied once, and then again, and then reposted on the Internet in 2022, it somehow still has 100k followers on Facebook. This is despite the fact that it exclusively covers car fires/accidents, POC mugshots, and variations of made-up stories about the Knockout Game.
Because this could be a very chaotic scenario, I’m kinda eager to see how this one plays out!
It has been mumbled that if Kim gets in against Bonini, than Eric Buckson who is the current 4th district Levy Court Commissioner will also run in the primary.
The D that ran last time, of she gets in early enough, I believe could win the seat
Nice stuff.
A D will not win the 16th senate seat, unless they are a more conservative moderate and can attract moderate R votes who want to avoid sending more right wing craziness into elected office. Petters may be worse than Witzke. If she does decide to run I think Buckson may very well jump in and he would be able to win that primary. But no way CB moved to Cali. His wife is a professor at DSU and he’s been here in DE for 30 years.
If it is true that Buckson is interested I think he probably has the juice to force the other two out and avoid a primary. Interesting to watch.
Don’t think he’s forcing Petters out.
As to Bonini, Petters might force him out, regardless of what Buckson does.
I think it’s more likely she runs for the 32nd Rep seat
Kim Petters dates Sam Chick.
Please pray they’re using birth control.
Eww… Idiocracy is right.
Were they to marry, it for sure would be a shotgun wedding.
Isn’t Kim married?
The rumor of her and Sam Chick who is certifiable as they come by the way, has been floating around for years.
Her poor husband….
wow, I remember when Chick ran against Scott and then Lynn, he was just recently married. Did not realize he had gotten divorced, he really has gotten more extreme year after year, he entered the 31st race and was just conservative right now he’s full on Witzke/OAN crazy.