Delaware’s Most Intriguing Primaries Of 2024: #8–New Castle County Council President

I’ve never understood why someone would run for this office, one where you have to campaign countywide (or, come to think of it, not), when you can run for a district comprising one-twelfth of the county.  Especially since each vote on Council counts the same.

Regardless, five Democrats have chosen to run for this seat, a seat being vacated (if it ever was occupied)  by Karen Hartley-Nagle.  They are, in alphabetical order, George Frankel, Val Gould,  Jason Hoover, Monique Johns and Robert Williams.

Johns and Williams are the only candidates to have run for office previously.  Johns challenged R Kevin Hensley in both 2016 and 2018.  She was chastised by then-D State Chair Erik Raser-Schramm for stealing Hensley’s brochures from the doors.  Got caught on camera.  She also ran for NCC Council President in 2020, finishing behind Karen Hartley-Nagle and ahead of Ciro Poppiti.

Williams, a former policeman, served on Wilmington City Council from District 7.  He now lives in Newark.

Both Val Gould and Jason Hoover have pledged to accept no campaign contributions from developers.  Frankel is ‘the Senior Business Liaison’ for the Workforce Development Board.  Johns’ LinkedIn page claims that she works for the Carney Administration, although I think she’s an employee in the Department of Labor, and not a gubernatorial appointee.

All five of the candidates spoke at a Virtual Town Hall that the 7th RD conducted in conjunction with the 6th and 10th RD’s.  I can tell you that our 7th RD committee considered recommending either Val Gould or Jason Hoover for endorsement.

I think that Johns could well be the favorite–ran countywide before, is the only Black candidate in the race.  I think that would be unfortunate.  To me, the cardinal rule should be “First, do no harm”.  We saw the harm that KHN caused, and the legal action that followed.  Not sure that someone who got caught stealing lit would be a safe choice.  Especially because, even though she’s run for office before, she displayed absolutely no knowledge of county issues during our candidate forum.

Regardless of whether either Gould or Hoover win the primary, I think both could well have political futures.  In fact, should Sarah McBride be elected to Congress, I would love to see Val Gould considered to be the D nominee to replace Sarah in the State Senate.

Sorry I’ve been derelict in providing these updates.  As you all know, other political events have intervened.

I’ll, uh, try to do better…