BREAKING!!: Delaware Working Families Party Announces Endorsements
Here is the press release in its entirety:
Delaware Working Families Party Announces First Round of Endorsements in 2024 Elections
Endorsements Include Collin O’Mara For Governor, Slate of State House Candidates
Newark, DE—On Saturday, May 4th, the Delaware Working Families Party will hold a kickoff event to celebrate their first round of endorsements for the 2024 election season. These endorsements include:
Collin O’Mara for Governor
Branden Fletcher for State House District 3
Terrell Williams for State House District 9
Kamela Smith for State House District 15
Frank Burns for State House District 21
Monica Beard for State House District 22
Eric Morrison for State House District 27
Monica Shockley-Porter for State House District 29
“Over the last few years, thanks in large part to Working Families champions in the legislature, we have seen immense progress on issues like a $15 minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, and moving to clean energy,” said Karl Stomberg, Political Director for the Delaware Working Families Party. “However, due to resistance from our current governor and State House leadership, progress on issues like free school meals for all, true police reform, and community workforce agreements has been stalled or non-existent. We believe that these leaders the WFP was proud to endorse will move us forward on all of these critical issues that working class people in Delaware want progress on.”
Of the state house candidates that are running, one is running for an open seat, two are running to replace incumbent Democrats, and three are running to replace incumbent Republicans. Eric Morrison is the only incumbent endorsed in this first round, as he is facing a corporate primary challenger, but other incumbents will be endorsed later this cycle.
Over the last two cycles, the Delaware Working Families Party has endorsed 12 state legislative candidates and has won in 7 of those races. In 2020, they supported Marie Pinkney who defeated the Senate Pro Tempore at the time, David McBride. In 2022, they supported DeShanna Neal who defeated Larry Mitchell, the House Majority Whip at the time. In 2024, they seek to repeat those successes, including against current members of legislative leadership.
“Over the last several weeks I have had the opportunity to speak with neighbors in District 15 listening to what matters to them and what affects them personally. Neighbors in District 15 want to be heard and their voices and experiences represented,” said Kamela Smith, candidate for State House District 15. “I am running for State Representative in this district with them in mind, with their voices in my ear. I am not afraid to directly address their concerns. I am serving today for a change tomorrow.”
Many Working Families Party endorsees are also seeking to replace members of the House Republican caucus, who are two seats away from giving up a super-majority.
“Over the last few years, we have seen Republicans like my opponent hold up important legislation like vote by mail and opposing any efforts to help working families, all while pushing for corporations to get the right to vote,” said Monica Beard, candidate for State House District 22. “As a mom, I am running to represent actual working families in my district and across Delaware.”
The slow but steady withdrawal of good-paying middle-class jobs through companies like Chrysler, GM, and DuPont; the rise in poverty in relation to the rest of the country; the persistence of unaccountable police violence and other forms of institutional racism; the threat of rising sea levels and pollution to our most vulnerable communities; and so many other important issues show that the system isn’t working. There are more working families than ever who are struggling to make ends meet. Beyond the local level, the last few years of electoral success for Working Families champions shows that Delawareans are ready for change.
“As Democrats, it’s on us to enact durable solutions that support Delaware’s working families — from strengthening our public schools, creating well-paying jobs, and eliminating child hunger to ensuring healthcare, housing, and childcare are more affordable, leading on climate change, and protecting fundamental rights,” said Collin O’Mara, candidate for governor. “I am excited to be joining forces with the Working Families Party to fight for new bold policies that will expand opportunity for all Delawareans.”
As to the kickoff event:
WHO: Delaware Working Families Party
WHAT: Endorsement Kickoff Event
WHEN: Saturday, May 4th @ 11:00am
WHERE: Ramada Inn Newark/Wilmington, 260 Chapman Rd, Newark, DE 19702.
Might just have to stop down for THIS one!
Don’t know many of these candidates and hope I’ll learn more but good for Stromberg with that pretty serious quote on the WFPs current take on things. This is evidence that I need to look a little more closely at them.
WFP has played a key role in electing a whole bunch of progressive legislators during the last two cycles.
These are some strong legislative candidates. They got early endorsements by meeting certain required touchstones of activity.
Meaning, these campaigns have been up and running. I think there will be a few more endorsements in the next couple of months.
This is a key year b/c, with the election of some of these candidates, the D’s will have a super-majority, which is important for voting rights, among other issues.
It also could herald the end of the Kop Kabal that has controlled House D leadership for the last 12 years or so.
I’ve been doing door-to-door with one of these candidates, and I can tell you–this is a great group of candidates. If you have time, get some steps in.
Interested in learning more about the requirements for such endorsements, can you share?
There is no doubt in my mind that the legislative candidates have the infrastructure and policy goals to warrant robust consideration – but Colin? He’s not exactly part of what I would call a ‘working family’ much less running an active (self-funded) campaign, I really only see him out during the day when everyone else is working. I guess I’m just used to working families vs. the wealthy that it’s going to be hard for me to overcome that hurdle or envision the wider public doing so. But perhaps he is quietly supporting the elimination of some regressive policies he benefits from or something?
It’s about advancing policies that benefit working families and the under-represented.
Here’s some background:
https://workingfamilies.org/about/
Has to be a blow the Meyer campaign who was dolling out county jobs the last term to known Delaware political operatives who trend in the progressive side of things in hopes of reaping some rewards politically in 24.
I think Omara is going to make a bigger splash than people realize and may take Meyer out the picture. BHL vs who is the real question
From what I’ve heard, Collin makes a great impression. Actually, I saw it myself when he and Matt attended a dinner event in Arden. Of course, so did Matt.
My concern has been and remains that I have yet to see signs of a full-fledged campaign from O’Mara. Time to get crackin’, otherwise both O’Mara and Meyer could pave the way for BHL.
My concern as well. When he came to our candidate forum at DSEA, he did really well and was impressive but I haven’t seen much of anything from him.
I found him to be pandering, quite frankly. And he needs to slow down. He sounded like an auction barker.
My limited contact with o’mara going back to his DNREC days suggests he is a good manager when everyone is playing on the same team. I never saw him have to take an (independently) adversarial position-jack was always there if he ran into real friction. He radiates a Kennedy-esque idealism but I don’t know if he has the courage of conviction to back it up. I think El Som would agree that for every prog that has proven themselves, there are two that have flamed out/sold out/lost energy. I’m getting the sense that he is building his platform in real time, which would explain why everyone loves him even though his campaign is virtually non-existent.
If you’re suggesting that he remains a cipher, I think I agree.
Which is why I want to hear more from him and to see what his priorities are.
I’m interested in his candidacy, but not there yet.
I’ll keep an open mind, but I wish we had some more insight into how WFP came to this endorsement. Definitely the most consequential race in Delaware in ‘24
People are noticing that he’s been in Leg Hall to advocate and testify for progressive priorities like free school breakfast/lunch, gender-affirming care, earned sick leave, expanding rights for people experiencing homelessness, reducing healthcare costs, and offshore wind — despite many of these bill being actively opposed by leadership, the governor’s office, the chambers, and the lobbyist class…
Great. Where is he posting about this? Any press releases? Any policy position papers? No votes to be had in legislative hall, especially if he’s not letting people know about this.
“…may take Meyer out of the picture.”
That’s wishcasting. He has enough money to stay in the picture. Does BHL?
You all need to realize BHL is running and not dropping out due to a campaign finance issues. She will have enough money to compete and in a small state like Delaware being around for 20 years matters.
I’m not saying she will win but I think Omara or Meyer will be the anti BHL alternative. She will be first or second place if all 3 run. I see Omara gaining more traction, he is 100 times more personable then Meyer and doesn’t have the county politics baggage
All I said was that Meyer’s money will keep him in the race. I never said she’ll drop out, but without money how effective will she be?
I have always said BHL remains a factor, and that given the choice between a woman and two white men, all with low name recognition, a lot of low-awareness voters will choose the woman.
The most likely scenario IMO is that Meyer and O’Mara split the anti-BHL vote, unless one, the other or both go negative on her. I have seen no evidence of that so far, so if they don’t go after her, I’d still make her the favorite, unless either Meyer or O’Mara distinguished himself somehow.
In handicapping the race between the two white guys, Meyer is disadvantaged by his time running the county, but the Meyer haters are just one bloc, and Meyer has a name-recognition advantage, slight as it might be, that counteracts it. I’ll take your word on who’s more personable, but relatively few voters will actually meet the candidates in a statewide race.
Most people don’t know who Meyer is, but O’Mara is completely unknown. I realize Delaware campaigns start late, but he needs to get his name out there pronto, before people head to the beach for the summer.
I confess that unbiased polling, if any appears, will probably factor heavily in my decision.
BTW, this shows why we don’t have a three-party system.
“a lot of low-awareness voters will choose the woman.”
I agree with this perception in general, but how many low-awareness voters turn out for a primary? I assume relatively low turnout with the biggest share going to whoever has the biggest machine.
About 120,000 in the 2020 Democratic primary, when there was nothing much on the ballot.
That’s 10 times the circulation of the News Journal. In short, the vast majority of people who will vote would not at this point be able to name all three, or even two of the three, candidates. The most recognizable name among the three is BHL’s.
If you don’t believe me, ask three of your non-political-junkie friends if they know who she is or what job she has.
this is a reasonable assumption but the public (and id guess private polling) doesn’t bear that out. her name rec is basically the same as meyers. I assume omarras is lower.
no one gives a shit about the lt governor and especially this one who had a particularly ineffective tenure. one of the many reasons why she won’t win. zero ability to manage or execute and her staff is widely known to be pretty terrible.
her bag boy is best known for going to the newspaper to complain about not getting a job with the city because he was white. that’s the sort of people around her. it’s pretty embarassing.
https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2022/07/20/how-wilmington-council-cant-agree-on-hiring-a-chief-of-staff/65376346007/
I don’t think anyone can look at pictures and videos of that sad “campaign kickoff” and think BHL has a shot.
Poor John Carney. It looked like a hostage video. The instagram video was a shot for shot remake of the ending of Freaks (1932). I swear I could hear our good Governor faintly saying, “Gobble Gobble”. For such a big strong boy he really has a humiliation kink.
I thought O’Mara would take more from BHL, but I’m persuaded that a 3 way is good news for the sitting Lt Gov.
No endorsement in the 14th? Is that because of the primary?
WFP releases its endorsements in groups. There will be more announced. Several in first wave have primaries. They may still be evaluating the 14th race.
I’m thinking yes. Probably want to see whether either of those running against KMG begins to separate themselves from the other.
There are at least two more races where I hope they endorse.
Thing about WFP is, they want to see if the candidate is effectively using their time–raising money, putting together a campaign team, and doing voter outreach. They’re SERIOUS about winning elections.
Omara is coming to the 14th RD next week. Looking forward to hearing him. I’ve heard two things, he is accomplished but talks way too fast!
It was thoroughly hilarious to hear Democrat Mike Smith flop ALL of the vetting questions that WFP asked.
***Mike Smith is so unprincipled that he couldn’t even pass the basic screening to be accepted into the candidate training program, let alone earn an actual endorsement from WFP.***
The original plan was to let them both into the candidate training program and sort it out later. Even with him lingering like a fart at many of our events and successfully snowing several people, his lack of commitment to issues and lack of foresight/planning doomed him.
Ramone would mop the floor with this pencil-necked brat. Thank God Burns is running.
In fairness (I’m a WFP member), Frank Burns was endorsed by WFP last time, and ran a real good campaign.
Don’t think WFP was gonna let Mike Smith dirty up that race, and I wholeheartedly support their decision here. Especially since the ties between Smith and Our PAL Val are all too apparent.
Not sure who this is but wanted to clarify that the original plan was not to bring both in and then make the decision later. That’s something we had done in previous cycles but changed our policy after it didn’t really work so well. Our policy now is what’s on our website:
“If more than one person is running for the same seat, the vetting team will interview both and choose to move forward with one of them or neither of them. If one candidate is already in coaching when another candidate announces, the vetting team can consider the new candidate but only if they believe the new candidate has a chance of being better.” (More about our process here: https://www.deworkingfamilies.org/endorsements)
Obviously, we did decide that Frank Burns was the better-aligned candidate for us. But I’d say that speaks more to his strengths rather than Smith’s weaknesses, with Burns having only lost his 2022 race by 41 votes despite starting very late. The second half of that process is also part of the reason why, as other folks have mentioned, we didn’t endorse in RD 14 as a part of this first round.
Has there been any discussion on making your endorsement process more open? At the moment, if I’m reading it correctly, it is an opaque process with a committee of 3 that conducts an interview then a vote of the State Committee.
I ask because there is often a good deal of criticism by vocal WFP folks when a Democratic Party process doesn’t result in a preferred candidate being endorsed. Yet, those processes are carried out in broad daylight and records of votes cast are recorded, archived and available for review.
I will grant that your platform doesn’t have anything supporting openness in government or WFP operations, but it would seem odd if the WFP would be on the side of “smoky back rooms”.
All I can say is, that as a WFP member, I and all other local members were encouraged to participate in the process if we so chose.
I just chose not to.
WFP has not limited its vetting committee to three people. Several people are privy to a candidate’s vetting.
No one knows how to handle RD14 for obvious reasons and if you don’t believe they gave Smith a fair shake look at their Facebook page. You’ll see Smith and Burns in the same group photo. Neither Marty nor Claire are there, however.
Don’t insult a righteous organization with your ignorance.
Nothing Geek wrote should be construed as an insult.
He asks questions that anyone not familiar with the inner workings of WFP would ask.
Dial back on the faux outrage.
It wasn’t faux outrage. WFP is the only entity saving us from Schwartzkopf types and MAGA. Perhaps I jumped the gun but the smokey back rooms and opacity verbiage set me off. I plan on starting a family in the next few years and Mike Ramone is perpetuating climate change denialism. Of course I’m outraged by anyone getting in the way of his ousting or bad implications about WFP, there is an awful lot at stake in 2024.
From Karl’s link:
After the questionnaire is returned, a three-person panel made up of members of the vetting team will conduct a structured interview with the candidate.
After the interview, the vetting team will vote on whether or not to recommend the candidate to join coaching
Closer to the election, the candidate support team can recommend a candidate for an endorsement, after which the State Committee will vote on whether or not to endorse
In light of O’Mara’s endorsement, I was just thinking about how many folks actually got to weigh-in, officially, before the endorsement. It was about 6 weeks from O’Mara’s filing to endorsement.
Coaching is different than endorsing.
There are candidates who are eligible for coaching who have not yet been endorsed.
These are generally legislative candidates.
I honestly don’t know what went into the gubernatorial endorsement.
Thanks to ElSom and everyone sharing these endorsements! If you’re interested in learning more about some of these candidates, especially our less-discussed state legislative folks, our event is coming up this Saturday at 11am in Newark: https://www.mobilize.us/delawareworkingfamiliesparty/event/620064/
Also: the original OG WFP candidate filed yesterday. Dennis “Ewww” Williams is now on the ballot for the 10th RD.
I hate to say it, but if it is him or that Carney croney Melanie Ross Levin, I’d rather have DEW. He just better keep his pecker away.
What exactly does the ‘original OG WFP candidate’ mean?
Just remember–Dennis Williams broke his promise and sided with the leadership team of Speaker Pete and Val Longhurst.
He should never hold office again.
If I remember correctly, DEW ran as a Dem AND a WFP candidate for office long before the WFP movement really got the momentum they have now.
The WFP as we know it NEVER endorsed Williams.
You’re referring to whatever the fuck Brian McGlinchey was up to back then. Dennis Williams would never have gotten elected were it not for McGlinchey and the THREE checkbooks he controlled as the agent for the Laborers Union.
The REAL reason McGlinchey devoted his members’ resources to elect Williams was to defeat Bob Valihura. Valihura had defeated Brian’s brother in a previous race, and McGlinchey was out for revenge. Williams was merely the empty vessel that McGlinchey poured union money into in order to exact retribution.
I don’t really know that crew. It’s before my time. I know of Brian. Only met his brother at a planning board meeting and he seemed like a reasonable person.
Bill is and was a reasonable person. He came close to winning two different races. Perhaps if he didn’t try to finesse his position on abortion, he would have won.
and all he ever cared about was hookah bars and massage parlors.
I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about.
Dennis was always doing bills about hookah bars and massage parlors from what I remember.
Dave McBride was a real massage parlor obsessive as well.
I’m sorry, I’m not gonna say Dennis is my perfect/ideal candidate by any stretch, but if you honestly prefer a woman who thinks that progressives are the greater enemy to Jews than neo-Nazis (she took the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre as an opportunity to shit on progressives being too quiet about condemning antisemitism before the bodies were cold while having nothing to say about the Nazi who killed a dozen of our people) over him, you’re frankly really putting your personal animus against Dennis ahead of the need to elect someone who is actually a Democrat. Frankly, except for her (very good, to be clear!) work on women’s issues, his opponent is a closeted Republican. RD-10 has had one of those for 10 years, we don’t need another one for another 10 or 20+ more.
If anyone needs evidence to support my claims, just look at her personal Facebook page. If she’s deleted it or deleted those posts, feel free to email me personally at redsoxfanatic987@gmail.com and I will gladly send screenshots.
Dennis Williams gave us Speaker Pete and Our PAL Val.
End of story.
To me, this looks like a race to sit out, which is too bad as this district would be hospitable to a progressive candidate.
Let’s focus on the real opportunities to force a change in the House.
He needs to come out hard against Val in his campaign if he wants my support, but I still don’t want that Melanie person. She will rubber stamp everything Val wants. Dennis will too though because he has no spine.
Like I said, there are way too many enticing targets to waste any time on this race.
I was seriously mulling a leftie run myself, but I could not possibly live with myself if I paved a path for Dennis’s opponent so I decided against it.
I dunno.
They both suck, so a progressive challenger would be welcome.
Hey, I’ve seen you out on the hustings. You’d be a good candidate.
Besides, that district is so over Dennis E. Williams that you wouldn’t be a spoiler. The district became more progressive after redistricting as several areas where Larry Lambert was strong have now been redistricted into RD 10. Hey, I live right next door in RD 7. I’d definitely knock some doors for you.
Hey, I’m retired. Coffee? BrewHaHa? Branmar?
Don’t think you’ll be able to talk me back into running, but I’m happy to meet for coffee in Brew Haha Branmar. You have my email and I don’t go into my day job until 1030 unless I take voluntary overtime, so shoot me an email with your number and I’ll make it happen.
Sorry, kids, from this point forward, whatever is said is off the record…
Clarification:
I asked Melanie about this at our RD Committee meeting, and she did clarify that while she feels antisemitism more from the left personally, that she realizes the Right all hates us and doesn’t give them a pass. I will still definitely support Dennis in this race both especially given his strong answers in the meeting, and due to other concerns I have with Melanie (being on the board of UD Hillel while it invited an IDF Colonel who described in this article https://jewishaction.com/jewish-world/israel/speaking-with-idf-colonel-golan-vach/ Arab-Israelis as “traitors” gives me pause about how well she will represent RD-10’s Muslim community), but I do appreciate her clarifying her remarks and that she does take right-wing antisemitism very seriously, and feel that I owe it to her to broadcast her side of the story.
Well, you’re supporting the guy who made Pete Schwartzkopf Speaker and lied about it, and ensured the election of Kathy McGuiness.
So, there’s that.
BTW, Williams shows up at the WFP Meeting Saturday, and demands I retract something I wrote on DL, which I didn’t write.
He was unshaven and apparently wore the clothes he rolled out of bed in.
Been writing here since 2008. I’ve never met a bigger unreconstructed asshole than Dennis E. Williams.
BTWBTW, he’s done the same offline–I’ve told him that if he has a beef, he’s welcome to raise it on the blog. DENNIS, ARE YOU READING THIS?
But he never does.
Here’s my two cents in the 14th District race.
https://www.delawareonline.com/story/opinion/2024/05/01/delaware-needs-claire-snyder-hall-in-dover/73425855007/
Dennis Williams betrayal and vote for Herr Schwartzkopf won Petey the speakership by one vote. D.E.W. had promised up until the caucus vote that he was standing with us in supporting Keeley for speaker. He flat out lied and should never be forgiven for the Pete/Val reign of terror, intimidation, coercion and bribery that infects the Dem. caucus even to this day. ‘Eff Dennis and ‘eff Petey Brownshirt.
Retired Representative John Kowalko.
I can think of a million reasons why DEW is unfit to hold office, including getting in to bed with (pun intended) Richard Korn, which is in part why Omarra probably isn’t taken seriously, Although you’re making a good point about Keeley since now we’re left with our speaker from the Las Vegas wax museum who’s dumber than a box of rocks. Sophie will make a great speaker someday.