Delaware’s Most Intriguing Primaries: #5: RD 29
Perhaps nobody is more ill-suited to his district than is Bill Bush. A Delaware Way insider, he served as a House Attorney to the Kop Kabal, destroyed the choice of the Del-Tech Board of Directors in order to install Lonnie George’s Chosen One as Del-Tech President, and perhaps has been the leading pro-business/anti-grassroots Democratic legislator in Dover. He successfully led House efforts to shut residents out of the development process, something that John Carney deeply appreciated.
He got the position when Trey Paradee moved up to the Senate, and he took advantage of the opening. Trey has helped Bush amass his campaign war chest at least in part through a ‘bundling’ party sponsored by corporate lobbyist friends of Paradee, including developers who benefited from the legislation Bush sponsored. He has represented the Delaware Way in Dover, but has not reflected the needs of his district. He has all the endorsements you would expect an insider like him to have.
His opponent in the Kent County Democratic primary is Monica Shockley Porter, and she has a true grassroots background. She is the Advocacy Chair of Delaware Community Foundation, the Recording Secretary for The National Coalition Of 100 Black Women, and the Treasurer for Network Delaware. She has an M. B. A. and a Master’s. The district has a large minority population, and she has a lot of connections in the community.
Here is a map of the 29th. You will note that there’s a lot of new suburban development, most of it in the northern two-thirds of the district. Meaning, a lot of people not cognizant of the Delaware Way. The district is strongly Democratic–9783 D; 5288 R; and 6025 I. The winner of this primary will be the State Rep from the 29th.
Monica Shockley Porter has been endorsed by the Working Families Party, which has had a lot of success in races very similar to this one. The Usual Suspects have circled the wagons around Bush, including some who shouldn’t–like LBR (this is why I can never fully support her as she always runs with the Overdogs) and Val hench-person Melissa Minor-Brown. You no doubt already suspected that Chris Coons, BHL, and Trey Paradee would show up in photo ops, and they have.
This is a winnable race, but one that won’t be easy. If you’ve got some time these next two weeks, and especially if you live in Kent County, now’s the time to jump in and bring this one home. The benefits of adding Monica and ridding the General Assembly of Bill Bush cannot be overstated.
Who?? Seriously this tells me that you are really not familiar with the 29th district.
She hasn’t knocked my door, Bush has 3 times, she hasn’t sent anything in the mail, Bush has twice (not counting the DSEA pieces) and I see no signs. What does she stand for? Who is she? What are her plans? I couldn’t tell you anything about her and I live here. Bill has been to our community meetings and not just at election time. He communicates with his district, handles issues that we have and again not just at election time.
This district isn’t looking to replace Bill Bush, the people up in NCC are- that’s very clear when you look at her expense report. Almost every donor is from NCC.
This district was held by a Republican before Paradee and it’s not far left progressive, it’s moderate, conservative democrats, and independents- that are either R’s that left due to Trump or moderates.
Even Kerri Evelyn Harris backs Bill Bush and she was shepherded into office with the help of the WFP, she doesn’t see the need to replace Bill either. Who is backing this woman other than the WFP?
The Working Family agenda is not that of main stream democrats and certainly not that of the 29th or Kent County.
You reinforce my point that the Delaware Way has circled the wagons around Bill Bush.
The district, and the demographics of the district, have changed since Trey Paradee first beat Lincoln Willis. A lot of new residential development has been built, particularly in the northern part of the district.
‘Even Kerri Evelyn Harris’ doesn’t resonate, as she sold out at the first opportunity and now is a hench-person of Val Longhurst.
Actually, mainstream Democrats LIKE what WFP offers, as there is nothing radical about an agenda that favors working people over corporate insiderism. Paid medical and family leave, equal rights for all, affordable housing (you know that Russ Huxtable is from Sussex County, don’t you?), voting access for all, you know, stuff like that. Plus open and transparent government. Anything wrong with any of that?
The ‘open and transparent government’ is, I think, the part the Delaware Way hates most of all.
Look, you may be right about the 29th as I’ve been spending most of my campaigning time in a district on the other side of the bridge which has, at least superficially, many of the same characteristics as the 29th. Lots of new development, communities which tend to be isolated from one another.
But change is coming. Maybe this year, maybe next time. There is nothing inherently different about Kent County–other than perhaps the dominance of insiders like the Cooks and the Paradees. That won’t last forever.