Delaware Political Weekly: Week Ending July 9, 2026

1.  The Toxicity Of The Legislative Musk/Zuckerberg Supporters And The Lyin’ Lawyers Funding Their Reelection.

I’m sure that by now you’ve seen the social media ads clogging the internets on behalf of Delaware Way incumbents and at least one challenger (Ed Mulvihill).  Most of these ads that you see are funded by a cabal of corporate attorneys trying to tilt the playing field on behalf of clients like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and others.  They’ve ponied up close to $1 million to keep these bought-and-paid-for legislators in office.

As you would expect from attorneys, they bend and sometimes totally destroy the truth.  Allow me to give you but one example.  Ray Seigfried is being touted as a health care professional who is fighting for you in containing high health care costs.  Casual, or even not-so-casual observers, are left with the impression that he is a doctor or other medical professional. Which is precisely the intent of the ads. Fact Check:  Ray has not now, nor has ever been, a health care professional.  He was an accountant for ChristianaCare.  To be fair, he did have an impact on you–he helped ChristianaCare make sure that they could squeeze every plugged nickel out of every pot of healthcare money available.  Yes, that includes what you paid.   The corporate lawyers are funding Seigfried because his first act upon being sworn in after a special election, was to sign on as a prime co-sponsor of the bill that tilted the playing field in favor of Musk and Zuckerberg.  Like the dutiful ChristianaCare drone that he is, he subsequently voted to do away with the recently-enacted Hospital Care Cost Review Board.  He then helped weaken legislation that would have implemented cost control accountability, by giving ChristianaCare jawboning privileges over any proposed controls.

Seigfried is but one example.  Lobbyists are spending big bucks because the alternative is an end to the casual corruption of the Delaware Way, meaning they fear an end to buying the members of the General Assembly.  Keep that in mind when casting your votes.

2.   And Then There Were–4??

Well, five, actually, if you count the R who has filed for the seat.  But we now have four candidates running in RD 3, including, yes, the incumbent, Josue Ortega.  Making it close to imperative that the House Ethics Committee consider his status following allegations of domestic violence.

Let’s dispense with the R first.  A guy named Shawn Dottery, previous loser to James Spadola for the one guaranteed non-D seat on City Council.  Pretty weird campaign slogan:  “A Voice For The Quiet People.” 

Of the four D’s, three have qualified for the ballot: Branden Fletcher Dominguez, current City Council member Yolanda McCoy, and one LaDonna Graham.  I…think it’s this LaDonna Graham. Described as ‘one of the leading voices on holistic health, wellness and obesity.’  Also teaches at Del-Tech.  Not sure what her constituency is.  The fourth, although not officially filed as of yet, is Josue Ortega.  He’s out with a lit piece using the term ‘Working Families’, as if he’s been endorsed by WFP, which he emphatically has not been.  It is absolutely essential that the House Ethics Committee investigate his behavior ASAP.  Otherwise, the House could end up with a soon-to-be ousted legislator in their caucus.  Which, of course, could lead to the likes of Cassandra Marshall tilting the playing field for yet another banal successor.

3.  Jack Walsh Gets A Primary Challenger.   At first glance, a supporter of Associated Builders & Contractors, the anti-union construction firms.  Running against Walsh in a blue-collar district doesn’t bode well for electoral success, but it isn’t as if Walsh doesn’t deserve a challenger.  Her name is Dawn Briggs.  She’s an accountant with ties to Associated Builders and Contractors.  There are now at least three filed D primary opponents to incumbents with similar priorities.  I sorta sympathize as the construction and building trades really tried to lock down pretty much all contracts this year.  But it’s a fool’s errand.

4. A Rethug Primary For Congress?  Looks like it.  Hey, why not?  I’m always looking for comedic potential in politics.  Joining Rev. “Let me be clear: boys should not be competing in girls’ sports!” Earl Cooper in this race is one John J. Whalen.  He’s been there before.  Won the 2024 R Primary for Congress, defeating Donyale Hall by a 56-44 margin, then losing bigly to Sarah McBride in the General by a 58-42 margin.  His main campaign theme in 2024?:  ‘Illegal immigration’.  Doubt that it or he will wear any better in 2026 than it did in 2024.

BTW, almost forgot, which is understandable, we already have an R primary for Senate between Mike Katz and John Shulli.  For completists only.

5. A Pleasant Conversation With Ralf Santana.  Santana has filed in the D primary for the RD 6 seat currently held by the (at long last) retiring Deb Heffernan.  He’s a sincere guy, disappointed in the constituent services and lack of response he’s gotten for his Edgemoor-area community.  I can see him as a successful candidate for office–some day.  However, he’s just started to campaign, his concerns closely mirror the platform of Rae Krantz, who has been campaigning for about a year.  I would hope that the two of them can get together and help form a coalition to defeat the clear Delaware Way choice–Ed Mulvihill.

6.  Filing Deadline:  July 14 at 12 noon.

What do you want to talk about?