Delaware Political Weekly: January 5-11, 2024
1. BHL Announces Her New Campaign Team. Guess she still has enough coin to continue for awhile:
Hall-Long’s campaign announced two senior staff appointments this week – Donnie Johnson as campaign manager and Sydney Diewald as finance director.
According to Hall-Long’s campaign, Johnson has more than 16 years of experience in electoral management, government relations and union leadership.
He has served on “multiple presidential and U.S. Senate campaigns” and “contributed to democratic state parties nationwide,” the campaign said.
As a union organizer, he’s collaborated with various organizations including the National Education Association, SEIU, and Ohio public sector unions. He’s also worked on several “notable” campaigns, including Obama for America, Biden for President, Sherrod Brown for U.S. Senate and multiple state democratic parties.
Diewald last served as the finance director for Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee’s campaign.
She also has an “extensive fundraising background” on local and statewide races, which include fundraising operations for New York City mayoral candidate Maya Wiley, New York State Sen. Tim Kennedy and Ulster County Executive (now-Congressman) Pat Ryan.
2. Jerry Clifton Elected Newark Mayor. Again:
Clifton is a familiar face in Newark’s local government. He previously served on the city council between 1997 and 2014 and again between 2017 and 2019. He served as Deputy Mayor for nine of those years. Clifton was previously elected as Newark’s mayor in 2019.
“I’m looking forward to working in city government again,” Clifton said. “And I look forward to tackling some of the bigger issues.”
After former Mayor Stu Markham’s resignation in September, Newark scheduled a special election to elect a candidate to finish out Markham’s term, which will end in April 2025.
A friend of mine describes Clifton as an old-school Republican–the kind you rarely see any more in Newark or, for that matter, Brandywine Hundred.
3. Kyle Evans Gay Files For Lieutenant Governor Race. She joins Sherry Dorsey Walker on the D primary ballot as official candidates for the office.
4. R Files In RD 29. His name is Anthony Egipciaco Jr. He ran for a seat on Kent County Levy Court in 2022, and got 43% against D Jeffrey Hall in Levy Court District 2. He’s a professional truck driver, originally from New York City, who, while in NYC, “…was part for the NYPD Auxiliary Police Force, they were called “The Eyes and Ears” of the NYPD. We would patrol developments, residential and commercial, parades and street fairs.” Another NYC/Cop/Delaware/Rethug connection. The incumbent is alleged D Bill Bush, who is facing a primary from real D Monica Shockley Porter. While this used to be a swing district, it’s now solidly D: 9690 D; 5321 R; and 5557 I. The district extends northward from the Dover suburbs up to the outskirts of Smyrna and Clayton, and includes Cheswold.
5. Doctor Michael Katz Running For US Senate. On The IPOD Line. You may remember him as a one-term State Senator who lost to Greg Lavelle in 2012. He won against R John Clatworthy in 2008, who was a right wing catfish-out-of-water in Chateau Country, although he would have played in Suxco. Don’t think “Doctor Mike” will play anywhere.
6. Committee Filings: One Bobby Williamson of Bridgeville has filed a committee to run for Governor as an R. Couldn’t find anything about him. One Davon ‘D’ Marque Hall has filed a committee to run for Governor as a D. This is from his LinkedIn profile: “D. Marque Hall is a Grant recipient, Business Owner, Salesman, Community Advocate, Artist/Author (Self-Published 7 coloring books FOR ALL AGES about tolerance and equality and two books about Nutrition & Health)”. The LinkedIn also claims he’s been running for a seat on Wilmington City Council since 2020, and is still running for Wilmington City Council District 3. Which makes more sense than running for Governor.
6. Other Filings: Incumbent NCC Councilman (D) John Cartier in Council District 8.
That’s all I’ve got. What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?
Johnson has more than 16 years of experience in electoral management, government relations and union leadership.
Union leadership. What a surprise. At least this answers my question, why her? The answer: Because the brilliant minds and the tender consciences of the trade unions want her. She must be malleable, she’s still married to that anvil.
Doctor Michael Katz Running For US Senate. On The IPOD Line.
IPOD still exists? I get that everyone needs a hobby, but why don’t those folks try barbershop quartet singing? Oh, right, they’d need four people.
“She must be malleable, she’s still married to that anvil.”
I give up. Can’t top that.
There are 2 things that lead me to believe “Donnie” is not a top campaign guy. First the union or unions he worked for are not named. Second there are no job titles attached to his “wide experience” I was a union executive for 10 years of my young life and worked as a detached rep for campaigns including Soles ‘74 and Biden ‘78, those gigs while important were not high level. In 1980 I was Deputy National Labor Director for Carter Mondale. That was a resume level job. Donnie boy looks to be a functionary, just my take.
If you click on his name, he’s worked with some public unions. But you’re right, no job titles.