1. Sen. Bruce Ennis Announces Retirement. Which opens up the SD 14 seat. It has a strong D edge, and should remain in the Democratic column. The only candidate who has filed is R Mark Pugh. However, D Kyra Hoffner is expected to run. She finished second in a three-way primary behind Ennis in 2020, getting 24.7% of the vote. There will almost certainly be other candidates. I wonder if Jaci Hugg, who ran against Dave Lawson in 2020, has been drawn into the 14th. Betcha she has. There’s also gotta be another ex-cop in that district just itchin’ to go after another state pension.
2. Psst, There’s A Special Election Tomorrow. Not special as in special, but as in obligatory. ‘Proud To Be Yer’ Bud Freel (D) and Ted ‘Horsey D’ Kittila (R) face off to fill out the term of disgraced former State Rep. Gerald Brady. The stakes couldn’t be lower: Less than four months as a lame-duck legislator in a district that will cease to exist. One can only hope that several members of the all-white D 4th Committee who rubber-stamped the former O’Friel’s owner as their standard-bearer also cease to exist as committee members. I, of course, expect Freel to submit his resignation from the Industrial Accident Board on Monday, just as state law requires. One question: Is Stapler Club obligated to keep its doors closed until the polls close?
3. Good News, Bad News In SD 12. Well. A flurry of activity in the district of Sen. Nicole ‘No Longer’ Poore this week. Two candidates filed, one R, one D, neither of whom are Nicole Poore. Although I can’t imagine her giving up her payday. Along with her other ill-gotten sinecure as the Executive Director of the worthless Jobs For Delaware Graduates. The bad news is that the Rethuglican is both a former cop and a department head at, wait for it, Del-Tech. Terry Campus, easy commute to Leg Hall. Yes, of course, ‘criminal justice’. His name is Bill Alexander, and he’s one of the white guys in this picture of cops, past, present and future. Don’t know which white guy, not that it matters:
We’ve seen this play before. Ex-cop/Del-Tech, now going for state pension #3. It’s a flop.
The D who has filed is one James Welsh. I know nothing about him, no social media presence as of yet, no website. Can anybody help me to fill in the blanks? Poore deserves a strong primary challenge. Don’t know if this guy can provide it.
4. Take Note Of These Filings. Both Nnamdi Chukwuocha and (gaack!) Stephanie Bolden have filed for reelection in the 1st and 2nd RD’s respectively. We can do better than Nnamdi, especially on the gun safety issue, and Stephanie Bolden simply must be challenged. Perhaps a renter in her district can hold her accountable for denying renters legal protections against heartless landlords. I’m very surprised that Mimi Minor-Brown has filed for reelection in the 17th RD. I’d been told that she was definitely going to primary Darius Brown in SD 2. If Darius Brown escapes with no primary challenger, all I can say is, the voters in SD 2 get the government they deserve. A senator who would sell them out for campaign contributions, and has.
5. Marie Pinkney Files For Reelection. Already one of Delaware’s best legislators. I’d be surprised if she gets a serious challenger, but I’m more than ready to help out if she does.
6. Answer To Last Week’s Trivia Question That Nobody Cared About. To refresh your memories, in discussing Collin O’Mara’s consideration of a run for governor in 2024, I asked the question: “Who officiated at the marriage of this happy (O’Mara/Vignarajah) couple?” The answer? Chris Coons.
That’s all I’ve got. (Isn’t that enough?) What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?