Delaware’s Most Intriguing Primaries Of 2024: # 9–RD 27
Don’t sleep on this race. Meaning, to all progressive Democrats, DON’T SLEEP ON THIS RACE. We all took Eric Morrison’s primary and general election races back in 2022 for granted. Thankfully, Morrison didn’t. The worst of the Delaware Way had it out for Eric last time, and they came pretty close to defeating him. Not surprisingly, the Kop Kabal that ran the House contributed not one red cent to either Eric’s primary or general election races. Even though the Caucus has, in addition to individual contributors, two PAC’s specifically designed to fund incumbents.
Eric is a great campaigner, and he’s progressive on every single issue. Which is why Trey Paradee’s best bud Scot Kidner and his anti-renter landlord PAC’s showered Eric’s challengers in campaign $$’s in 2022. Don’t believe me? Scour the campaign finance records. I did.
Eric once again faces a primary challenger and a general election challenger, although it appears that the general election opponent, one Kristina Griffing, was placed on the ballot by the Republican Party. Her Linkedin profile describes her as a ‘homemaker, working for myself’. That’s it.
Eric’s primary challenger is Margie Lopez Waite. She worked for MBNA for 16 years, then became a Spanish teacher, followed by starting a bilingual charter school. She identifies herself as ‘Chief Executive Officer–Aspira Of Delaware Charter Operations’. It would be foolish to anticipate that she won’t be a strong challenger. It would foolish not to expect that all the charter school financiers, including the DuPont/Copeland family, to, who knows, the same people who helped to fuel the Markell Charter Engine, to fund her campaign.
In fact, this is a race of charter schoolers vs. public education, public education being represented by one of Delaware’s best legislators.
The 27th RD is in SW New Castle County, with Glasgow close to the northern boundary. The district extends below the C & D Canal. Here’s the map. There are 9,096 D’s; 5056 R’s, and 5911 I’s.
If we’re gonna get progressive leadership in the House, we simply can’t afford to lose Eric Morrison. Working Families Party has endorsed him. Here is his website, which includes a ‘Donate’ button. However, if you live in the area or reasonably close by, I know he would appreciate that you contribute some shoe leather as well. Hence, the ‘Volunteer’ button.
And let’s be super clear, there’s every reason to believe that Lopez Waite is Val’s candidate.
https://www.facebook.com/valerie.longhurst/posts/pfbid02iqiZ55tHj8362UJQ52noczLYo9q6BHLv6JrbYAH8vMqK563Y6aibUaihHvxiobaZl
There’s a context to many of these races and also some of the contested races in November.
Our PAL Val wants to protect her speakership–even if it means working against Democrats either running for reelection or running in R districts.
That’s why she has formed alliances with not one, but TWO, Michael Smiths. It’s why she supports behind the scenes this challenge to Eric Morrison.
It’s why she and Pete are backing the officially-corrupt Kathy McGuiness in RD 14.
That this caucus would support this self-dealer as Speaker says a lot about many of them.
The good news is that there are several great candidates, including Kamela, not Kamala, who can put an end to this 16-year reign of terror.
Is that true?
After all her efforts to oust McGuiness as Auditor, Val is now supporting her Rep candicacy?????
Thats cray.
There is no doubt she would say and do anything to retain her leadership position. But wow.
I know Margie Lopez Waite but not that well. Other people I know speak very highly of her. If you want to support Eric Morrison that’s great but trying to smear her like she’s a Valarie Longhurst plant is a real stretch. That post is on Longhurst’s FB and seems like she’s trying to promote her connection with MLW rather than the other way around.
Also, Aspira is a very long way from Wilmington Charter / Newark Charter / Odyssey / Cab Calloway and shouldn’t be painted with the same brush.
Even the examples you give shouldn’t be painted with the same brush. Yet all charters contribute to the problem created by how they’re funded, so having another advocate for them is less than ideal if you’re against them on principle.
If you don’t think that Val is 100% behind her candidacy, you’re not paying attention. There’s a reason why Eric has never received one red cent from either of the two House D PAC’s earmarked for incumbents. It’s because he supports progressive leadership in the Caucus.
Val is not fighting for Democrats, incumbents or otherwise, she’s fighting to save her speakership. I think there’s every possibility that Kam Smith puts an end to that speakership on her own.
But there’s a similar possibility that newly-elected progressives can also get the job done. That’s why Val is backing the likes of Margie Lopez-Waite, the other Michael Smith, and Kathy McGuiness.
Margie Lopez Waite is a board member of the charter lobbying group Charter Schools Network.
Why, yes, yes she is.
Speaking of lobbyists, the Delaware Public Integrity Commission’s list of current lobbyists is not working: https://egov.delaware.gov/lobs/Home/
Maybe still affected by the Crowdstrike outage?
It’s not a smear when it’s a fact:)