DE’s Most Intriguing Legislative Races Of 2024: #6–RD 28
I doubt that any legislator has been less distinguished, yet wielded as much power, as Lumpy Carson. At least in recent times. He has been Pete ‘n Val’s Useful Idiot during their reign of terror against their own caucus and Democratic principles. Long-time House head of the Joint Finance Committee, chair and/or member of any committee where Pete ‘n Val needed to stop the flow of progressive legislation, he has done nothing other than do whatever the Kop Kabal has told him to do. A proud know-nothing who couldn’t even be bothered to read his own mail or e-mails during my last two years working for the House, a Happy Hours aficionado, and a proud collector of stuffed pickaninnies, he’s been an embarrassment of a public official ever since he succeeded Bruce Ennis, who had been elected to the Senate.
While there have been rumblings that Ol’ Lump (nickname given to him by then-President Pro Tem Thurman Adams during the special election that Carson won) may be retiring in 2024, (a) we can’t count on it; (b) we can’t allow a Lumpy Junior to take his place; and (c) this district is now well to the left of Lumpy politically.
Here is a map of the 28th RD. Other than one small New Castle County election district, this is a Kent County RD. The bulk of the district’s population is centered in Smyrna and the east side of Dover. The district runs east to the Delaware River through sparsely-populated areas. It has become more suburban since Lumpy was first elected around the end of 2007. It has also become much less dominated by the old-school D power-brokers in Kent County politics.
The registration in the Kent County portion of this district is 9162 D; 4256 R; and 4797 I. The lone NCC ED has 47 D’s, 74 R’s and 59 I’s.
Lumpy has never had a primary challenge despite his views becoming more out of touch with this district. Senators Kyra Hoffner and Trey Paradee represent virtually all of the 28th in the Senate. Neither of them are going to the wall for Carson.
We’ll never have a better time to elect a more progressive representative than in 2024. Lump has one foot out the door. Even back during his special election, he wasn’t exactly a workhorse campaigner, and that was more than 15 years ago. The district has drifted leftward politically. Any effective grassroots campaign will topple him. All we need is for someone to step up. Please, step up!
I’d love to see the demise of all the old school Delaware politicians, then again I’d like an electorate that was not asleep at the switch, but I digress. Realize the only parts of down state most see are Dover and Rehoboth, suggest you take the SUV and look around, especially in Sussex, especially the areas building up like mad that were farm land a short while ago. The people moving in are from Long Island and north Jersey, they’ve got money, education and are anything but Republicans. The times they are a changing. Political dinosaurs take notice, the old days are near gone. And I can’t wait.
One quibble – while there is a lot of new construction and infilling from NJ & PA, I’m not sure if “this district is now well to the left of Lumpy politically” will hold true for a primary election.
Most of the people who turn up for a primary are directly connected to the candidate. The newcomers aren’t connected to anybody in the district. It will be bright bright blue when they all get a chance to vote against Trump, but on primary day it is going to look more like James T. Vaughn’s old district.
Disagree. Lots of those folks have died off or have moved.
Not to mention, Lumpy is nowhere near as well-known there as Bruce Ennis was. Or Jim Vaughn, for that matter.
Even back when he was running in that special election, you could already see changes starting in that district in terms of creeping suburbia and a lack of attachment to the old boys’ network.
Ain’t nobody of any import around there any more to prop up Carson. And there’s no more than a handful of people ‘close to Lumpy’ prepared to go out and vote for him. He’s old and lazy.
I’ll tell you what–if Carson runs and if he faces a primary opponent, I’d be delighted to bet a few tall cool ones on the outcome.
Me? I think the mere announcement of a primary challenge will lead him to retire.
“Bulo is correct, the old guard has died off in this area or moved away (Either makes me happy). It’s the slow arrival of a new day here, but it is increasingly obvious change is here and picking up speed. And I agree a challenger would probably lead to retirement.
I wonder if being Val deciding to replace the Lump with “AR Packing” Kim Williams as JFC co-chair will help Lumpy to decide to retire? And speaking of Val, I saw a few pics of her on social media recently. Looks like she has had a really bad facelift this summer. I’m not begruding her for having plastic surgery, but she could at least find a quality surgeon. Maybe she used one of the doctors who would participate in the Medicare Advantage program she wants to foist on state retirees.
“Maybe she used one of the doctors who would participate in the Medicare Advantage program she wants to foist on state retirees.”
Roasted.
That move had to be by his request.
I think he’s looking to move on.
Might as well give him the push.
The more I think about it, there were one or two pretty darn good D’s who lost to Kyra Hoffner in that 14th SD primary in 2022. I’m especially partial to Smyrna pharmacist Kevin Musto, who came in 3rd and immediately endorsed Kyra.
Of course, perhaps my wife being a pharmacist and someone who really likes Kevin just MIGHT have something to do with that…
Val’s completely unprecedented move to install Williams JFC Chair before the election has rattled and offended Leg Hall folks, including other legislators on both sides of the aisle, who otherwise could give a hoot about Lumpy. He might have more support in the Hall now than he’s ever had in his career. Certainly before that move, retirement was discussed, but I guess he could react indignantly instead.
Not sure what you mean by ‘Leg Hall folks’, but replacing an incompetent lackey with, oh, I don’t know, a competent lackey at worst, would only offend the drones.
Not to mention, it doesn’t MATTER what Leg Hall folks feel. People in the district have virtually no ties to Carson.
Correct.
While Carson may have been contemplating retirement, his removal as Chair of JFC has likely galvanized his resolve to run again just to oppose Val Longhurst.
She’s really making enemies out there.
Word has it that there’s also an exodus of House Staff, with even the uber-Uber-loyal Comms director being replaced.
ANOTHER exodus of House staff? We’re now into multiples of Moses.
Seems like a great time for someone to challenge her in her home RD…
Val doesn’t like anyone who disagrees with her, so I am not surprised she’s forcing out longtime staffers who know what they’re doing and are the kind of folks who people like her should listen to for advice. She doesn’t like being challenged and certainly can’t tolerate staffers who provide top-notch advice by standing up to her and telling her she’s wrong (and she’s almost always wrong). It’s really a shame that staffers being great at their jobs is held against them, but that is what you get with people like her. And I wouldn’t call Kim Williams competent. She might be an improvement over lumpy, but so would a half-drunk wombat.