A Very Special Edition Of Delaware Political Weekly: Week Ending October 30, 2025
“We are kings of our bikes. So, we are again really lucky to live in Rehoboth, when we park a car, we have to get back into the car. We can hop on our bikes and our ritual is that we are always biking from our home to L(ewe)s. We do a little bit of walking around, a little bit of margarita, a little bit of good food – there’s amazing food then bike right back. So the ritual, on our bikes, every chance we can, any place we can go, and eliminate the cars.”–Dan Cruce.
Today we feature the inspiring lineup of progressive challengers who you can volunteer for and/or donate to right now. With one exception. There is one race with an unannounced challenger who will excite pretty much any progressive who’s looking to eliminate Delaware Way insiders. I can’t name that challenger although I know their name, but I will highlight the race and the odious incumbent who should be in deep doo-doo. Later in this piece.
We start our inclusive list of challengers with these two great candidates for the Delaware State Senate:
SD 1. Adriana Leela Bohm:
I’ve provided the link to her biography. I defy you to read it and then think that the incumbent, who does, in fairness, occasionally visit the district he supposedly represents from his home in Rehoboth, could possibly be preferable to Adriana. Unless, of course, your name is either Cassandra Marshall, Bud Freel, or Bobby Byrd.
SD 5: Shay Frisby
The incumbent is doing a great job of representing his constituency–the corporate executives who made this career bean-counter a wealthy man at Christiana Care, and of course Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. If that constituency doesn’t represent you, you’re in luck! Shay is your kind of candidate.
“Shay Frisby is a dedicated leader with a proven track record of serving her community and advocating for working families. As a supervisor in the Delaware Division of Social Services (DSS) Customer Relations Unit, she leads a team focused on helping clients navigate benefit eligibility and access vital resources, from housing to healthcare.
Shay’s leadership experience includes her role as Lead Organizer with AFSCME Council 81, where she fought for the collective bargaining rights of over 500 childcare workers across Delaware and helped draft SB87, The Quality Care for Delaware’s Families Act. Her work strengthened protections for workers and elevated voices often left unheard.
As Program Manager for the Standby Me Financial Empowerment Program, Shay led a team of financial coaches to provide early childhood educators and schools with financial literacy services, fostering long-term economic empowerment for families.
In her community, Shay continues to serve as a committee member with the 7th RD, working with local leaders to organize successful outreach initiatives, including a campaign kickoff that raised over $20,000 to support Democratic efforts. She is also a small business owner in Claymont, where she has lived and raised her family for more than 30 years.
Shay is running for State Senate to bring her leadership and advocacy to Dover. She is committed to fighting for a living wage, criminal justice reform, and environmental protections to ensure a brighter future for all Delawareans.”
RD 6: Rae Krantz
“When I was disenchanted with my jobs after college, I taught myself the necessary skills to enable a career-change to software development. To make it easier for others to do the same, I then became an advocate for stronger apprenticeship programs in the industry and founded a non-profit to guide people starting software development careers. I’ve also shared my knowledge and experience as an international conference speaker.
I was raised in an evangelical, Republican community with an unchanging worldview. But once I left home, I began to question what I was taught about how our government should work. I continued to learn new ideas and meet new people, and I discovered the missing pieces in my old worldview and how fundamentally unjust our government systems actually are, particularly for minorities and people of color. These realizations were crystallized by the murder of Trayvon Martin. The failure to bring justice for Trayvon made me realize that I needed to play a role in building a better country. I committed to the issue locally, and began to volunteer for task forces aimed at delivering equitable justice.
I deeply desire to see our communities become stronger and more integrated, and believe that together we are powerful enough to improve our lives. I’ve been a foster parent and a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in Delaware’s foster care system. I co-founded Strong Towns Wilmington to empower city residents with a vision for how our city can be safer and more vibrant. I’ve spent many hours in Legislative Hall as a community advocate pushing our state government to do right by working people.
It was through those interactions with our state government that I grew disillusioned with the lack of transparency and accountability from our legislators. I watched our elected officials fail to protect Delawareans’ right to clean air and water, and fold when they had the chance to guarantee real police accountability and transparency. Those experiences left me disheartened but they also solidified for me the need for legislators who actually listen to constituents and create policy to respond to the needs of the people.”
The incumbent in RD 6 is Deb Heffernan. She has advocated for (and been funded by) the chemical lobbyists who gave her an award for her efforts. Rae would be an exponential improvement over the incumbent, who you can see here being hugged by the irredeemably-corrupt Val Longhurst.
RD 9. We have two challengers to serial drunk driver Kevin Hensley. Y’know, if only D’s had made at least as big a stink on Hensley as the Rethugs have on the Suxco Chair, Hensley would be gone from the General Assembly, as he should be. Anyway, here are the two D candidates, both of whom have strong credentials:
RD 12: Dr. Rob Bahnsen
Think I’ll just let Rob speak for himself:
I was raised by blue-collar parents who worked hard to provide their sons with the kind of opportunities they never had. They taught us valuable lessons early on. Hard work pays off. Don’t give up on the people you love. Never forget where you came from.
I was lucky to grow up in a healthy community. People who loved me made sure I fulfilled my potential. I became the first person in my family to go to college and to medical school. Because they were there, I am who I am.
These days, the same communities that lifted me up when I was young are the ones that suffer the most. As a psychiatrist, I work on the frontlines in Delaware’s largest emergency rooms, intensive care units, and hospital wards to provide care to our most vulnerable neighbors. I hear their stories of hardship and how they just can’t get ahead. I feel their despair when those in power dismiss them, telling them the answer is to work harder for less. I see firsthand how these problems lead to anxiety, depression, addiction, and suicide.
When I became a doctor, I swore an oath to keep my patients healthy. I can no longer fulfill that oath until we heal our community. This is why I’m running to be your State Representative – to improve access to quality healthcare, demand excellence in education, and diversify an economy too dependent on powerful interests that don’t care about us. To fight for what people need, so our community can grow strong.
That is one of the clearest statements on why someone is running for office that I’ve ever read. The incumbent, Krista Griffith, indeed champions ‘the powerful interests that don’t care about us’, which is why she sponsored the disgraceful Musk-pass bill and beat back attempts to make the bill fairer.
RD 38: Maureen ‘Mo’ Madden
A retired federal civil servant and a multi-degree black belt-holder across several disciplines, Mo Madden served for nearly 23 years at the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) and more than 7 years at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with a Master’s degree in physics. Mo was also a proud union member, part of Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association (GESTA) IFPTE Local 29.
Through her role as an Deputy Director for the NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) at NOAA, Mo led large teams to solve tough economic and environmental issues. This includes successfully negotiating against budget cuts that saved a coral reef restoration program from being shut down. She knows the importance of building bridges and making important connections when working to solve issues. It’s not always having the solution, it’s knowing who has the solution.
There are at least three other possible notable challengers who may, or may not run. There also are two D’s who have filed for legislative races in Sussex County, but it’s not clear where they stand on the issues yet.
But I promised you news on a race that will happen, and I do not intend to disappoint. There is a great candidate who will challenge the odious incumbent in RD 16. We’re talking the guy who then-Speaker Pete anointed to kill LEOBOR reform, and who succeeded in that task. Yep, that former cop who governs like he still is a cop: Franklin D. Cooke. I’ve had the opportunity to campaign with his challenger, as they wanted to get their feet wet knocking doors. This candidate is the real deal, and I just can’t wait until they announce their candidacy! Pretty sure it’s happening soon.
That’s all I’ve got this week. What’d I miss (Certainly not those ‘Donate’ buttons. Click them early and often) and whaddayathink?
Watching guys and gals like Cooke and Hefferman and all these other insiders who used to tell WFP folks “we are gona primary you” to only watch the tables turn and watch them all getting primaries is a form of amusement that can’t get replicated. Next up can anyone take on Kim Williams? Nicole Poore? Bill Bush? Lots of other Delaware way stooges to go as we continue to clean house.
At least one of the three who you mentioned could be facing a really strong challenger.
It’s uncertain at the moment.
But I’m glad you mentioned the threats to challenge some of our progressive legislators, all of whom won grassroots campaigns.
Big checks from corporate interests simply can’t overcome grassroots support unless said prospective challenger is actually willing to knock on thousands of doors. Insider fatcats simply aren’t willing to do that.
I know there are always issues with timing, but if there is a strong challenger, is there a specific reason they are not announcing yet? I’ve got deep seated long running issues with Kim and would be happy to be part of any campaign that sends her packing. Primarying some of the most heavily entrenched interests is going to require an strong and long running ground game.
Yes. I’d imagine they’d want to have their website ready and perhaps their first lit piece in the can before they announce.
Also, they want to be able to raise $$’s from the get-go.
Plus, I don’t wait until a candidate announces. If I’ve promised that I won’t reveal a candidacy, once the candidate files a committee, it’s public record, and I report it.
I agree with you about Kim, I think she’s ripe to be defeated, but I haven’t heard anything about a challenger yet. Sorry.
One more point–just because a candidate hasn’t yet filed doesn’t mean that the candidacy isn’t in full go mode.
On the contrary, a lot of work is generally taking place behind the scenes to ensure that the official kickoff is more than just a press release.
I like this list. I especially like that we’ve got a few progressives taking on Republicans. I do like some stale, regressive incumbents having their feet held to the fire but call me old fashioned but I love beating a Republican. Best of luck to all contenders.
👌
A medical doctor, an academic Ph.D., a software engineer-cum-policy expert, a proven leader in city council, a social work professional with a union organizing background… hopefully (once fully vetted) all backed by the strategically deployed WFP volunteer army.
Someone send an urgent dispatch to the status quo elites. A full corps of reinforcements organizing on your unguarded left flank. Well trained, well armed and competently lead, they’re coming hard.
My recommendation for the corporate professional ribbon cutters. Just quit now. Organize a retreat. All the Chris Kenny and Ben Dupont money can’t stop what’s coming.
And what seat will Dennis Eew Williams throw his hat in the ring for this time?