It’s official. Carper retires:
U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, a patriarch of modern Delaware politics, will retire next year, ending a career as one of the most successful politicians in state history.
His announcement Monday at the Wilmington Riverfront will undoubtedly shake up the state, with now an open U.S. Senate seat in 2024.
“While nothing is forever, the Delaware Democratic Party is blessed today with a bench as strong as any I’ve ever seen in the 50 years that I’ve called Delaware home,” Carper said in a prepared speech. “If there was ever an opportune time to step aside and pass the torch to the next generation, it’s coming, and it will be here on January 3, 2025.
His retirement opens the political floodgates. It’s never too soon to open the political floodgates. Especially when they’ve been dammed up for so long.
His retirement will cause a ripple effect throughout state politics.
Any and all responsible speculation is welcome. What’s responsible? Well, if your post disappears, you’ll know the answer. The blessing and bane of a moderated blog.
Speculate away!
If Sarah McBride were to run for either Senate or the House, her State Senate District would not be in play unless (until?) she won. She was reelected to a 4-year term in 2022.
We already know that Sherry Dorsey Walker is planning to run (again) for Lt. Governor. Meaning, her 3rd RD seat will be open. An ideal spot for a WFP D…
We know that there will be at least one legislative special election this year. Ruth Briggs King is moving out of her district, and she’s been open about it.
The real question is: Will Speaker Pete follow her out the door? Or will he (a) hang on as Speaker despite promising the Caucus that he wouldn’t; (b) step down as Speaker, but remain in the General Assembly, or; (c) resign as Speaker and from the General Assembly as he promised?
We know that Pete lies. So, I have no idea what he’ll really do. If he does resign, we’ll have at least two special elections, likely in the fall.
SDW may be too young too have read the Peter Priniple but someone should inform her that her best place is where she is right now.
I made sure to plug the site over on Taegan Goddard’s traffic-heavy Political Wire:
https://politicalwire.com/2023/05/22/tom-carper-to-announce-whether-hell-run-again/
Thanks, Bruv
Rest assured, your boys¹ will be on location at the presser.
——
¹Bill & me
This is a retirement speech
Jesus Christ this presser is painful. Get to the fucking point.
Yeah “speech” isn’t the right word. Rambling remarks. Anyway… many reminiscing.
So glad I didn’t go.
It’s a freak show. I’m standing between Lee Murphy and Bill lol
He still hasn’t made the announcement?
He’s retiring. Press release is out
Here’s one almost immediate plus for Delaware: We’ll no longer have the self-styled ‘grownups’ influencing the direction of the Democratic Party. In addition to Carper, I’m talking Ed Freel, Jeff Bullock, and, yes, the Carney clan, including Rick Geisenberger and Claire DeMatteis.
You know, the ‘mansplainers’. Plus DeMatteis.
Their time is OVER!
https://twitter.com/daveweigel/status/1660666807626113031
The Lisa Blunt Rocheissance
I gather the skid-greasing has been going on for a while. A couple of months ago some party people, not progressives or really insiders but longtime donors from the legal profession, gushed to me about her performance. They seemed surprised when I asked for evidence and perplexed when said I was unimpressed so far.
A triumph of style over substance.
I’m not impressed with the style, either. There’s less there than meets the eye, and not much meets the eye.
She seems to have a particular talent for finding empty hard hats and ribbons that need to be cut
In fairness, that’s pretty much every politician.
After all, one good thing that they’re generally good at: shoveling.
What’s the Over/Under on how long it’ll take for Betsy Maron to encourage us to send yet another thank-you card, this time to Carper?
I’m calling it 20 minutes. Starting now.
She’ll get a better response this time.
It’s entirely possible, following the 2024 election, that we’ll have a D female Governor, Lt. Governor, Senator, and US Representative.
Lizzo put it best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXXxciRUMzE
It is worth mentioning that the MAGA DEGOP is given zero chance of picking up anything from the re-shuffle.
Who would have enough name recognition on the GOP side and would be able to survive a primary? I can’t think of anyone. The last few GOP candidates have been jokes.
The MAGA GOP could put a ham sandwich on the ballot and it would still get 30 percent of the vote, but the ghost of Pete du Pont wouldn’t poll more than 40 in today’s Delaware.
If they can find a candidate that they think has a chance of winning statewide, they will run that candidate for LBR’s House seat.
Look for someone from the Witzke/MTG/Boebert mold.
Of note, Our PAL Val finally got one vote in Jason’s latest poll. Surprised she hasn’t successfully terrorized State House staffers into also voting for her.
A lot of shit is going down with the House staff. I suspect we’ll be hearing more about that.
Happy to have made an incorrect prediction:) Hey TC, need a Real Estate referral in West Virginia?
DuPont’s selling off a bunch of ‘slightly-used, only mildly-polluted’ tracts at bargain basement prices there.
Carper effectively endorsed LBR even before his speech:
https://twitter.com/burgessev/status/1660669786815188992
“We love Lisa. I spoke with her this morning and said, ‘you’ve been patient in waiting for me to get out of the way. I hope that you run.'”
effectively? That’s an endorsement.
JFC – someone has to primary LBR… please, please please
I see all the Sarah McBride love, and I get it. She would certainly be better than most. But I have a question. Aside from on gender issues, what makes anyone think McBride would be progressive? Her Delaware Way pedigree seems pretty strong to me.
She does have a Delaware Way pedigree, particularly with Biden. However, I can’t think of any other legislator that could have gotten Paid Medical And Family Leave across the finish line. And, as she herself pointed out, it would have been even better if Carney hadn’t insisted on weakening it under threat of veto.
Besides, at a time when the Rethugs are waging war against ‘the other’, there may not be another prospective legislator in the country better prepared to combat that notion.
I’m pre-bracing myself for the fulsome and inevitable praise for bipartisanship and comity. I’d like a fighter, but I admit that I’m a cook/crank.
That’s not her. Speaking of bipartisanship and comity, though:
https://www.wdel.com/news/u-s-senator-tom-carper-will-not-seek-re-election/article_3aebd44a-f8af-11ed-8772-d3d6a8f75517.html
“”Tom Carper isn’t just a colleague and a friend, he is a steady, significant leader who has shaped Delaware over decades,” said Coons. “Across his more than 50 years of service to our state and nation, he never stopped focusing on economic development, and despite his substantial accomplishments in the Senate, he’s never stopped thinking as a governor — focused on working across the aisle, solving complex problems, and making a lasting difference.”
“He has been a tireless advocate for Delaware,” said Carney, “and in a time of increasing divisiveness, Senator Carper continues to work across the aisle to find common ground and get things done.”
2 times zero=zero.
+1 for appropriate use of “fulsome.”
From Politico: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/22/carper-to-retire-opening-safe-dem-senate-seat-00098158
A relative centrist in today’s Democratic Party, Carper was a colleague of Joe Biden’s in the Senate and an early backer of his presidential campaign. Carper was asked why he’s retiring but supporting Biden’s bid for reelection as the oldest president ever, to which he replied: “He’s actually sharper than the rest of us.”
From NBC News:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/democratic-sen-tom-carper-says-wont-seek-re-election-2024-rcna85518
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., thanked Carper for being a “conscientious, hardworking, honorable, and effective” senator in a statement.
“He has had a long and distinguished career representing the ‘First State’ as a Congressman, Governor, and Senator and deserves a well-earned retirement,” Schumer said. “I know everyone in the Senate will certainly miss Tom, especially myself.”
Schumer also called Rochester shortly after Carper’s announcement to say “he believes she could be a really good senator” and that he “looks forward to sitting down with her soon,” a spokesperson for Schumer said.
Jesus. To say that thing is wired for LBR may be an understatement.
The political wire commenters speculation that Carney will run for Senate is fucking hilarious. Run on what, exactly?
“I’m just like Carper, albeit even more boring.”
Asked and answered.
Actually, Carney should primary LBR if only to give her a chance to show that she’s not really boring.
We’ve heard the operative Carper quote before:
“It would be like asking me to choose between my children.”
Carper’s natural born children are probably less boring than his political offspring.