1. The Congressional Hauls. Sarah McBride, of course, leads the way. The figures:
Sarah McBride
Q4 Raise – $457k
Total Raise – $1.23m
On Hand – $850k
Eugene Young
Q4 Raise – $104k
Total Raise – $287k
On Hand – $199k
Colleen Davis
Q4 Raise – $41k
Total Raise – $145k
On Hand – $76k
Were I a challenger to Sarah, I would be especially concerned with the Q4 numbers, both Sarah’s and the challengers’. Eugene Young’s fundraising is respectable, and would be competitive in most cases. Don’t know if he can tip the scales in his favor against such a fundraising juggernaut, though. BTW, likely armed with Carper’s Rolodex, LBR finished the year with $2.32 mill on hand for her run for the Senate seat being vacated by Carper.
2. Claire Snyder-Hall Running For RD 14 Seat. The one being vacated by Speaker Pete. I’m pretty sure that both Snyder-Hall and Marty Rendon will support someone other than Val Longhurst for Speaker. There are, however, warning signs that Speaker Pete’s minions are spreading rumors that neither candidate is Suxco enough. As if it matters in a district full of people from elsewhere. However, Speaker Pete has a $100K war chest, and could use it to try to rehab the political careers of either Park City Kathy and/or her one-time paramour, Newark’s Ernie Lopez, who presumably has found new lodging since his wife tossed him out. Here is Snyder-Hall’s press release:
On February 1, Claire Snyder-Hall filed to run for the Delaware State House in RD 14, which includes Rehoboth Beach, Dewey, and parts of Lewes. The seat is currently occupied by Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, who is retiring at the end of the session. Calling the campaign “Claire for Delaware,” Snyder-Hall says she is a pro-choice Democrat here to listen and to serve the people of coastal Delaware.
Before moving to Rehoboth Beach full-time in 2011, Snyder-Hall was a tenured faculty member at George Mason University, where she taught political science and administered several academic graduate programs.
In 2012, shortly after moving to the First State, Snyder-Hall was elected chair of the Democratic committee for RD 14. She ran for the Delaware State Senate in 2014 against Ernie Lopez.
In 2015, Snyder-Hall began her first stint with Common Cause Delaware (CCDE), a non-partisan statewide organization that works to protect and strengthen democracy. During her two years leading the organization, she organized the successful campaign to rescind Delaware’s call for an Article V constitutional convention, thus thwarting the Koch Brothers’ agenda, among other things.
In 2017, Snyder-Hall resigned from CCDE and moved back to her hometown, Sarasota, Florida, to spend time with her mother during her final years. After her mother passed away, the Snyder-Halls decided to return to Rehoboth Beach. “We could have moved anywhere in the world,” Snyder-Hall says, “and we considered a number of places. But ultimately we decided our hearts are in Rehoboth. It’s an incredible community, and we have a lot of friends here.”
Upon returning to the First State, Snyder-Hall again took the helm at Common Cause DE and was quickly promoted to Executive Director. Through her lobbying work for the organization, Snyder-Hall says she has developed strong relationships with legislators and has learned how to get things done in the General Assembly.
At the end of January, Snyder-Hall resigned her position as CCDE to run for House in RD 14. “2024 will be one of the most important elections of our lifetime,” she says. “This year, choice is on the ballot, democracy is on the ballot, and the American Dream itself is on the ballot, as we face multiple crises in healthcare, education, housing, and the environment that are eroding our prosperity and quality of life. I had not intended to run for office again, but my former supporters kept encouraging me, so I decided to put my hat in the ring.”
Snyder-Hall has already received early endorsements from sitting legislators in both the House and the Senate. “I am proud to endorse Claire Snyder-Hall for State House,” says Sen. Laura Sturgeon. “We are both former teachers, and I know Claire shares my commitment to public education, and her well-proven collaborative skills will be a great asset in Dover. The fact that she would be the first woman to represent RD 14 is icing on the cake.”
Rep. Eric Morrison also endorses Snyder-Hall: “I support Claire because I know she wants to go to Dover to represent everyday Delawareans. She will not be swayed by special interests that do not have at heart the best interests of the people. I also know how dedicated Claire is to making positive change in the community and that she will work hard in Dover.”
She has also been endorsed by Progressive Democrats of Delaware and Delaware Get Money Out.
The “Claire for Delaware” campaign will prioritize direct voter contact, and Snyder-Hall plans to knock on doors all over the district.
3. Get Better Soon, Colleen. Colleen Davis has admirably gone public with some health challenges she is experiencing. Which could well explain her relatively-unimposing fundraising figures for Congress. Never mind them. Get well soon, Colleen.
4. Debbie Harrington Enters Race For Lt. Governor. While she announced last July, she only filed for the ballot last week. She’s always had an impressive resume, and is a very accomplished person. However, the idea of Harrington as a candidate has so far exceeded the reality of Harrington as a candidate. In 2018, she finished a distant second to Monique Johns in a three-way D primary for RD 9. In 2020, she lost to incumbent R Kevin Hensley in RD 9, and got 45.2% of the vote. Not sure I see a path forward for her candidacy for Lt. Governor, but that’s why they have elections–we shall see.
5. Filings. D Rep. Cyndie Romer (25th RD) for reelection.
That’s all I’ve got this week. What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?