Announcing DL’s 2022 MVP’s (Most Valuable To The Progressive Cause In Delaware)!

Perhaps more than ever, the order of these choices shouldn’t matter much, if at all.  Progressivism is growing stronger every year in Delaware, and everybody on this list has played a part.  Along with those who I’ve missed, and who I encourage you to mention.  Having said that, here goes:

10.  Brandon Toole. Not so much for defeating a less-enlightened challenger in the Democratic primary for New Castle County Council, although he did, but for rejecting post-election attempts by the development community to buy him off.  He now joins Dave Carter and Dee Durham on Council as those who will not be corrupted by developer cash.  Who will join them?  Same question holds true for Marcus Henry.  Will he succumb to the lure of campaign lucre? We’ll be watching everybody running for County office.

9. Rep. Ed Osienski.  He sponsored a pot legalization bill that made it to the Governor’s desk.  It took a lot of work, convincing, and compromise to get it there.  It’s not his fault that our Governor is John ‘Everything I Need To Know I Learned In Junior ROTC At St. Mark’s’ Carney.  Someday soon, what was in Osienski’s bill will be the law in Delaware.  He deserves to be the prime sponsor when it happens.

8. Sen. Sarah McBride. She passed the single best piece of progressive legislation this year. The Paid Medical And Family Care Leave Act.  As passed, the bill was the best that could have passed. It’s not her fault that our Governor is John ‘I Treasure This Plaque From Al’s Sporting Goods That The Chamber Gave Me’ Carney.  Once he’s gone, Sarah can no doubt improve on it.  Maybe–she’ll even sign it into law!

7.  Lydia York. She stepped up and rid Delaware and the Delaware Democratic Party of a corrupt public official. That she was not a natural candidate makes her willingness to step forward all the more impressive.  Know what she could be though?–the natural State Auditor we haven’t had since at least Dennis Greenhouse.

Tie (5 And 6): Two groups of great candidates. Some lost, and some won, but all of whom were winners in advancing the progressive cause:

Becca Cotto, Shane Darby and Frank Burns.  There’s no justice when three of the absolute best campaigns I’ve seen in recent memory come up short.  And these campaigns were fantastic, well-organized, and attracted enthusiastic volunteers.  I have every confidence that all three candidates have bright political futures, and will soon win election to office.  Once again, willing to put my (limited) money where my mouth is.

DeShanna Neal, Kerri Evelyn Harris, Cyndie Romer, Sophie Phillips, Kyra Hoffner.  They won, they were infinitely preferable to the alternative, and they will move progressive legislation forward in Dover. I see at least two of them as future leaders in the House, perhaps sooner rather than later.  I include Kyra Hoffner here b/c I was told that she was likely to lose.  She didn’t.  And she’s got a 4-year term.  What’s that? You say there’s one name missing?  I’ll have to look into that…

4.  RISE DE.  When Gov. John ‘There’s Nothing Wrong With Collateral Damage When It Benefits Budget-Smoothing, And When Those Suffering Collateral Damage Are State Retirees’ Carney concocted a plot to screw state retirees out of the benefits they had earned, Rep. John Kowalko, Lisa Diller and Karen Peterson formed RISE DE to take legal action against the scheme.  They succeeded.  They also succeeded in exposing just how anti-Democratic Carney and his buddies are.  For now, I’d like to personally thank the people behind RISE DE for protecting the hard-earned benefits of state retirees. Including mine.

Tie (2 And 3): Two great progressive organizations, a whole lotta great grassroots folks:

Network Delaware and Its Sphere Of Influence: Drew Serres, Tyeisha Grier, Shyanne Miller-Network Delaware;  Lynne Kielhorn, Meryem Dede-Campaign To End Debtors’ Prisons;

Stephanie Thompson, Linda Sanders, Jessica Larson, Jules Nickerson, Branden Fletcher, Anette Darby, Chai Darien, Allison Stampone, Arianna Fanning, Bardo Galindo Ulloa, Leslie Richeson, Michael Smith (not that Michael Smith), Catherine Kulick-Soper, Minsondri Smartt-Growing electoral staff infrastructure, not affiliated with Network Delaware.  Please add names I’ve missed.

Working Families Party Of Delaware.  Karl Stomberg,  Reji Gregoire, Kirsten Walther, Jess Scarane, Bill Martin, Rae Krantz, Brittlea Jernigan-Hardrick, Len Damico, Lars Jensen, Mikki Snyder-Hall, and Tessa Schwarz.

I don’t even want to think what we’d be like without these two game-changing organizations, and these grassroots all-stars.

1. Russ Huxtable. Not only did he take the initiative to build his own grassroots campaign, not only did he bring with him a wealth of experience in providing housing for those who needed it, not only did he run as a progressive in Sussex County, and not only did he win.  He also created a blueprint for progressive candidates to run in eastern Sussex County. Not to mention a blueprint for eastern Sussex leadership in the Democratic Party.  As opposed to the current dominance by cops and cop wannabes. I don’t expect him to totally emulate Eric Morrison or Madinah Wilson-Anton in Dover, but we can look to him to restore a more humanistic version of the Democratic Party in Sussex.  And I mean ‘restore’.  He reminds me of former Sen. George Howard Bunting, who used to represent that eastern shore area.  I’m also psyched that his professional expertise is in housing.  I think he can prove invaluable on issues ranging from protecting mobile home residents to guaranteeing that renters have rights to counsel. Oh, let’s not forget that he flipped this seat from R to D.  I can’t wait to see what he does in Dover.

OK, that’s my list.  Your turn.