Poll Results and Next Week’s Poll
Thanks to everyone who “joined” DL this month by supporting Working Families Party , Highlands Bunker, Claymont Food Closet and/or Friendship House
I increased my support for Highlands Bunker and made a donation to the Claymont Food Closet. Our goal was to have 20 new DL members (or 20 new members/donors) for these fine orgs. According to the poll results, we blew past that.
Back to the weekly…
One way or another, someone is eventually going to be Delaware’s next Senator. Who do we think that will be?
Carper will most likely run for re-election, so nothing will change in Senate. The focus for 2024 is on governor.
He has said he is running, so that tells me that Carney and Rochester are out of the running to be the next Senator from Delaware. McBride, Young and Denn still possible.
The bottom line – If Carper steps aside it ensures the seat will go to a member of the corporatist party. If he decides to stay, he will be opening the door for people of Delaware to finally be represented in the Senate.
The corporations have a death grip on Delaware politics, would love to see a politician not in thrall to corporate money in the senate, I hope it happens. The problem (here, there, and everywhere) is a poorly informed and to some extent poorly educated electorate. As in it could be worse, much worse. Although one more term of Carper does have a distinct odor of The Walking Dead, one mo’ time.
The precursor poll question for this poll should have been – Will Carper leave the Senate voluntarily or by being forced out by death, incapacity or primary?
That is the question that looms over all downstream political jockeying and decision making right now. He has stated that he will not be leaving voluntarily this time, but he does not have the last word on whether or not he will leave by death, incapacity or primary.
This raises an interesting question-should carper hold onto his senate seat, but can’t finish his term, who is on the shortlist for appointment? And doe that change based on the top two likely dem candidates for gov?
The Governor would appoint a successor to serve until the next election.
When Biden was elected Veep, Minner appointed Ted Kaufman to fill the seat, with Kaufman saying that he would only serve until the next election and wouldn’t run for the seat. Which was our loss. I can’t remember whether the appointment required approval by the State Senate.
To me, if Carper were to be unable to finish his term, LBR would almost certainly be the likely nominee. Carper would want to ensure the continuation of the Carperati, and the Governor would likely gravitate toward LBR regardless.
If LBR is still rep at the time, won’t that force a special election to backfill her role? In my mind it would not be advantageous to force an election, where the outcome is less certain. Picking LBR seems like a professional courtesy but doesn’t seem to fit any long term strategy
Carper attended a benefit dinner for Sojourners Place a few months ago. He looks terrible; he has that shuffling gait that you see in the elderly who a sunsetting. When people started clapping it was a real struggle for him to get up, and his aide looked ready to catch him. If he wins in 24 I can see him sticking through 25
That’s some good first hand reporting. I hope Young and/or McBride are lurking. Timing is everyhting.
I don’t tend to comment on polls while they are live, but I have to say that I love how politically knowledgable our lurkers are.
Rochester at 43% is a very accurate reading of the probability that she will be the next Senator. That probability reflects everything going to plan, which sometimes happens.