Take a deep breath. Lotsa stuff to catch up on.
1. AG Jennings has NOT endorsed Bethany Hall-Long. I’m authorized to write that by someone in a position to grant such an authorization. I disagree with said someone that, because politicians often appear in pictures together, there’s no harm/no foul with BHL’s mailer. I say there is harm when someone like BHL posts the picture that she posted along with the implication that there’s an endorsement along with it. Were Matt Meyer to post such a picture with Kathy (there is, BTW, such a picture), it would also require the same disclaimer. But that’s just my opinion.
2. We now have TWO intriguing candidates for NCC Council President. As in, not rubber-stamps for developers. Jason Hoover joins Val Gould, who I profiled last week, as candidates with credentials I could support. Hoover is the Founder of Save The Valley, has written extensively about developers’ plans to develop the area, and is a fan of the monarch butterfly, more than a fan, really. Two weeks ago, I thought we might have to settle…not any more. Now, who to support…?
3. Josue Ortega To Primary Branden Fletcher Dominguez In RD 3. He hasn’t filed yet, but he’s kicked off his campaign. I always liked his dad, former Wilmington Councilman Demetrio ‘Junior’ Ortega. Word on the street, though, is that the younger Ortega is the preferred choice of Mayor Mike and Buccini/Pollin. Meaning, make mine Branden. Here is his kickoff event:
4. A couple of questionable characters enter RD 13 race. Both a primary challenger to DeShanna Neal and an R opponent. I’ll say this right upfront–the primary challenger has shown some questionable judgement. The name might be familiar to you–Mike Spencer. This Mike Spencer. This Mike Spencer. He also, while a member of the RD 13 Democratic Committee, endorsed DeShanna Neal’s Republican opponent in 2022. Remember Carlucci Coelho? Well, Spencer endorsed him. Coelho subsequently lost to Jose Matthews for a seat on the Red Clay School Board. The ‘Republican’ who has filed for the General Election has a name that also might be familiar to long-time followers of Delaware politics–one Daniel Rappa. The Rappas were well-known as being financial backers for the Gene Reed Democratic machine in New Castle County. They–and Reed–were swept out of power during the early ‘reform’ phase of Tom Carper’s career. Rappa’s dad primaried Tom Carper in the 1992 Governor’s race and got about 10% of the vote. He had previously primaried Carper in 1990 for the US Rep. seat and got about 10% of the vote. Ron Aiello showed up at the 1992 Rappa ‘Victory’ Party. Well, now the younger Rappa is running as a Republican because they’ll take anybody. Good luck with that.
5. ‘Bland Is Better’? Not if he’s running against Jea Street, he’s not. One Dexter L. Bland, to be precise. Here’s his LinkedIn page. Self-employed for the last six years, well, let me just cut-‘n-paste:
Recording/Performing Artist – Hip Hop/ Rap
Coordinator/ Promoter
Think Tank
Skilled Laborer
Sales
Hey, nothing wrong with that. He apparently was going to run for the Congressional seat before opting for this race.
Regardless, assuming that Jea Street runs again for the 10th NCC District, I’m with Jea. What was that old Howard Cosell line–“He tells it like it is”? So does Jea. Truth to power.
6. R Primary In Suxco District 1? The incumbent is Council President Michael Vincent, who hasn’t yet filed for reelection. R Matt Lloyd has filed his committee to run for that seat:
“I’m for low taxes and for small government. I’m going to wake up every day as an elected official representing the people of the 1st district with them in mind. I want people to know that if they call me, I can guarantee you that you’ll get a call back and bring your ideas and concerns council with me,” Lloyd said.
Wow. Never have I heard such a set of innovative ideas.
7. Filings: Rep. Franklin Cooke, D/Cop-RD 16; The ‘Other’ Michael Smith, D-RD 21.
That’s all I’ve got this week. What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?