Delaware Political Weekly: April 29-May 5, 2022
1. Felon-To-Be (?) Files For Reelection. Kathleen McGuiness, of course, as a Democrat. For State Auditor. Will any self-styled leader within the Party do anything to find a challenger to this unhinged and unethical public official? Doesn’t anybody have an alarm clock over at Delaware Centrist Party HQ?
2. Gettin’ Mighty Crowded In SD 14. Too crowded. We now have four D’s who have filed to succeed the retiring Sen. Bruce Ennis. All of them are, at least, reasonably well-qualified. The latest entry, one Robert Sebastiano (Unbossed And Unbought), pledges to bring ‘common sense back to Delaware’. Apparently it went over to New Jersey to buy some pot, and never came back. He proudly proclaims himself a centrist and quotes Hubert Humphrey. OK, fine. Here’s the problem, and it’s not (just) with Rob: We have four (all things being equal) good candidates in this primary. I’ll wager that at least three of them, if not all four, live in Lumpy Carson’s House District. (a) He’s an idiot. (b) He doesn’t go anywhere (except Happy Hour) w/o Pete ‘n Val’s blessing. He’s both bossed and bought. (c) He’s lazy as shit and will be defeated by a decent D. (d) The district is solidly D. Can’t one of you, any one of you four, switch to the House race? Three out of four of you won’t win this primary. If one of you flips to challenge Ol’ Lump, two out of four of you will win. Not to mention, it’s far easier to knock doors in a Rep. district than a Senate district. Just about twice as easy, in fact.
3. Report From Lower Slower. Stolen verbatim from one of our best posters, SussexWatcher:
Dispatch from the Southern Territories …
Republican Candice Green Wilkinson has filed to run for Sussex County Register of Wills. If that name is familiar, it’s because her mom, Cindy Green, held the same job before getting elected to Sussex County Council a few years ago. Candice was treasurer for her mom’s campaigns. I have no idea what her experience is. Looks like the Green family really wants to keep that job in the family.
There’s a Democratic incumbent, Ellen Magee, who was appointed to fill the rest of Cindy Green’s term. (She is the only Democratic officeholder in Sussex aside from Pete.)
There is also already a Republican candidate who’s filed – turncoat and perennial loser Greg Fuller, who was appointed to the Register of Wills job 14 years ago by Minner but then lost to Green twice. He switched parties from D to R to great GOP fanfare, and now has to be beaten in a primary. Poor guy just can’t get a break.
(This is your regular reminder that Fuller also has run and lost for the state House and Lt. Gov.)
I could get used to this.
4. Filings. Sen. Spiros Mantzavinos (D-SD7); Rep. Kendra Johnson (D-RD5).
That’s all I’ve got. What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?
School board elections Tuesday in many districts.
In Red Clay, there are three candidates, of whom I have only superficial impressions. The mystery is – why has DSEA endorsed the challenger (Vic Leonard) to the incumbent Ashley Sabo? Public issues statements are all anodyne and unrevealing. Can anyone provide some insight?
Candidates are:
Ashley Sabo (incumbent, special-needs mom). Seems like my kind of candidate but I admit I’m not familiar with her.
Vic Leonard (retired teacher, endorsed by DSEA). Also seems reasonable so I can’t figure out why he is challenging the incumbent, and why the DSEA endorsement? (but DSEA has been wrong before and has been known to have grudges and hidden agendas).
Jim Casper (endorsed by DEGOP. May or may not be related to incumbent RC school board member and noted gun nut Jason Casper). Surprisingly well-spoken but with high “hidden MAGA” quotient.
At one of Sabo’s first meetings in 2017, she abstained from voting on a resolution that would make Red Clay schools safe havens from ICE intervention of undocumented children. She gave a long, meandering, bizarre speech talking about why the District doesn’t need to pass this resolution because it’s not a problem in Red Clay and then abstained. The resolution passed, thankfully.
Lots of teachers angry about Sabo’s relative silence on the Board during the pandemic, also. Her willingness to low-key pooh-pooh Matthews and Bohm during Board meetings on matters of racial and social justice has also been concerning.
DSEA likes to support teachers and former teachers in school board races. Vic was a high school science teacher in the district for 20 years before he retired and has some solid name recognition in the district. That would be my guess as to why RCEA endorsed. They have a good history of endorsing current and retired educators who win. See: Leah Davis, 2008, and Kenny Rivera, 2012.
That explains the cone of silence from otherwise verbose DSEA supporters. So if I want to find out why DSEA has a bug up its ass about Sabo, which may or may not be justified, I have to listen to hours of school board audio?
Maybe they’re choosing to emphasize the positives of their candidate as opposed to the negatives of the opponent. They are teachers after all. Not sure they really are about negative. This year in general appears to be more low-key than the last few.
Smells like a private vendetta.
Vendetta?
DSEA supports teachers. DSEA and their locals will often intentionally seek out good, active educators to run for school board seats. A good, active former educator decided to run. They ran their interview process and he got the endorsement. Vendetta? Sounds like someone is upset they didn’t get the endorsement.
“They ran their interview process and he got the endorsement.”
“Interview process?” Leonard sits on the DSEA executive board (along with some other familiar names). Hopefully he recused himself from the endorsement vote.
I get that DSEA wants to stuff the school board with DSEA members as a power play. And it will probably work, considering DSEA members manage the polling places, and the children of the voters.
But Leonard hasn’t been able to publicly articulate a compelling reason to unseat the incumbent.
If those vague incriminations against Sabo turn out to be real (meaning beyond petty personal peeves), that would be serious and I can change my mind. The fact that this is the first (and only) time I’ve heard of it is a bad omen for its credibility. But this still smells like a hit job. and from a very small clique.
My concern is Leonard and Sabo will split the anti-MAGA vote in Red Clay.
The wife of Kevin ‘Smooth As Suede’ Wade is running for a spot on the Colonial School Board. Presumably to make sure that the needs of their THIRTY-YEAR-OLD SON are met.
Or, perhaps she has some OTHER agenda…(h/t to Tipster, keep ’em coming.
Capital School District race includes Joan Engel – who was endorsed by DELAWARE PATRIOTS.
Exactly who we want to be exerting local control.
Expect the AP programs at Capital to fall into disrepair after the Art of the Deal joins the list of required books…..
Engel is an incumbent. Been on the board for years. Not sure why Delaware Patriots is endorsing her. She is actually a great board member.
I smell a troll…
Ellen Magee switched her registration to Republican shortly after Carney appointed her Register of Wills. We see know evidence of her doing anything in the job.
I’ve heard she isn’t gonna run for re-election since seeing how hard Greg has hit the pavement
She probably isn’t gonna run b/c Greg ‘I’m Hittin’ The Pavement Hard’ Fuller is being primaried by the daughter of the former Register of Wills. Read the article, you might learn something. She filed four months AFTER the hard hitting pavement guy did.
What are you talking about? I’m referring to Ellen who has not filed yet.
She has changed her registration to R.
Read,my man, read.
I knew that before it was posted here, what I am saying is, Ellen (as I’ve heard) does not want to run in a primary with Greg because of how hard he has been working and overshadows her at any and all events they both are at.
Imagine that. Someone is scared out of a primary because Greg Fuller is working so hard.
Said no one ever–until you said it.
I love when you talk sweet to me ❤️
I stand corrected! She created a campaign committee as an R last month but hasn’t yet filed.
What is more shocking? That McGuiness actually has the gall to run again or that she didn’t file as a Republican? Guess we have to go with the former. Someone MUST primary her. It won’t be Davies. I know exactly who SHOULD run against McG. Hoping they file today!
Wha-a-a-a-t??!!
You’re gonna leave us hanging like that?
When I said “hoping they file today” that is wishful thinking on my part. I have no clue if they even will file. But I’ve heard the name mentioned quite a bit in relation to this elected office.
Kevin – didnt you write alot about all the issues in the past with Patrik Williams? Have you been keeping up with the latest happenings with him?
Has the del dem party come out and said they dont support her campaign or are they stealing money like the rest of the dems in office?
what needs to happen is progressives need to become like the last few republican supreme court justices – drum up support for your delaware way democratic stances and once elected turn on your progressive hat. get the endorsement of all the big name dems who do nothing but their names will get your elected and then start voting and sponsoring bills that will help.
The Delaware Democratic Party, at least at the statewide level, has gone into hibernation since Erik and Jesse left. Leaving a ‘legacy’ chair, and a lack of vision that rivals that of John Carney. Its failure to cut ties with McGuiness and to actively seek someone, um, ethical, is political malpractice.
Just awful. Support your local committee, if it’s worth supporting. Fortunately, mine is.
It looks like the NCC party and the state party have adopted a resolution originally passed by the Wilmington City Party.
https://www.deldems.org/sites/default/files/2021-12/McGuiness%20LOA%20Resolution%20DDP%2012-7-2021.pdf
I know that both the state and NCC chairs have been actively seeking candidates, but I don’t know how those searches are going.
That’s sorta encouraging, at least.
The Delaware Democratic Party, at least at the statewide level, has gone into hibernation since Erik and Jesse left. Leaving a ‘legacy’ chair, and a lack of vision that rivals that of John Carney. Its failure to cut ties with McGuiness and to actively seek someone, um, ethical, is political malpractice.
Just awful. Support your local committee, if it’s worth supporting. Fortunately, mine is.