*At the ballot box.
Inspired by today’s Bunker Podcast, here’s my list of state legislators who need progressive challengers in 2026.
State Senate:
Dan Cruce, the Lewes resident who ‘represents’ Wilmington’s 1st SD.
Ray Seigfried: Christiana Care’s resident corporate apologist in the Senate. He has a great challenger in SD 5. Shay Frisby. Yep, there’s a ‘Donate’ button right there.
Nicole Poore: She can probably afford to retire thanks to her no-show job that she ensured was funded annually by the General Assembly. She should be retired regardless.
State House:
Nnamdi Chukwuocha: Lazy, rubber-stamp for the cops. Shané Darby is running! RD 1.
Stephanie Bolden: Rubber-stamp for Buccini/Pollin, the cops, and whichever horrible Speaker of the House is in power at any time. James Taylor ain’t gonna cut it. RD 2.
Debra Heffernan: Is she retiring? Shouldn’t matter. Traditional ally of polluters, rubber-stamp for whichever horrible Speaker is in power at any time. RD 6.
Kevin Hensley: His DUI stunt should cost him his seat regardless. Two D’s have already announced they’re running. Are either of them progressive enough to demand more representative leadership? Inquiring minds want to know. RD 9.
Krista Griffith: Her disgraceful shilling for SB 21, coupled with her rubber-stamp for the cops, should make this her last term. RD 12.
Franklin Cooke: If somebody challenges him, they’ll win. Perhaps the worst obstructionist in Dover when it comes to LEOBOR reform. RD 16.
Melissa Minor-Brown: No, I don’t know whether a successful challenge is achievable. This time. But she deserves to lose. RD 17.
Kim Williams: Too much power used to stifle progressive reforms and, for that matter, progressive legislators. It’s time. RD 19.
Michael Smith: Sure would help if the so-called local Democratic leadership fully backed a D challenger for a change. RD 22.
William ‘Lumpy’ Carson: He has served as a useful idiot for a string of unethical Speakers. While gerbils would admittedly be under-represented by his defeat, his constituents, for once, would be well represented. RD 28.
Bill Bush: An insider who benefited by a family emergency that effectively sidelined his challenger last time. I’d like to see a rerun. RD 29.
Kerry Evelyn Harris: Siamese Twin wannabe to Speaker Mimi. Sold out for power. RD 32.
Here’s the way I look at it, particularly when it comes to the House: The House leadership has deliberately tried to silence the voices and effectiveness of its progressive legislators. It makes no sense b/c progressive initiatives are very popular with grassroots Democrats. But they’d rather hold on to power internally than to embrace positive change. In other words, they deserve to be challenged and defeated.
Which reminds me, check out the podcast and, if you are inspired, consider becoming a Patreon.