What Comes After the Revolution?
Guest post by Jason 330
What happens when the outsiders finally become the insiders after a revolution? Do they unleash their inner Robespierre, exacting revenge in a reign of terror? Or do they pull a Snowball Pig and run the farm like old man Jones, only worse? Maybe there is a third option?
If you’re interested in dissecting Pete Schwartzkopf’s crumbling legacy and other post-primary reactions, join us on the Highlands Bunker Podcast tomorrow. REV, Jordyn Pusey, Karl Stomberg, and I will dive into the fallout.
And if you really want to get in good with Delaware’s new Democratic power players, don’t miss this weekend’s Delaware Call Fall Classic. It’s a fundraiser with a twist — a 19th-century baseball match featuring the Diamond State Baseball Club vs. the Working IX, with the first pitch being thrown by a surprise guest, and a brass band for that extra throwback vibe.
🗓️ Event Details:
🕛 Noon to 5 p.m. (Base ball starts at 1:30 p.m.)
📍 Hockessin, DE
🎟️ General Admission: $25 (bring your own lawn chair or blanket!)
🎟️ VIP Hospitality Tent: $60 (includes match ticket, beer, wine, and soft drinks)
Pack a picnic or grab concessions and settle in for a day of fun. Don’t miss your chance to rub elbows with the new insiders while enjoying some old-fashioned fun!
The last time it happened, a lot of the volunteers became county and city Democratic chairs eventually.
Let’s save the revolution talk until we actually get new house leadership. I’ve seen this before and the last number of times we basically ended up where we started. longhurst was a good get but if we end up with Mimi then we basically just have the same thing. And Kerri is a product of some of this great political genius. The overall record is positive but it’s not perfection by any stretch. And Colin Omara was a huge huge huge blind spot that could have ended very poorly. Thankfullly it just ended with a big thud and another Sean Barney type character to add to the ranks of perennial candidates.
Also Jason hasn’t eaten enough crow about being painfully wrong on Bethany hall long. So wrong as to make me question whether or not he actually has a grasp on politics in this state at all.
(Sorry Jason but it’s pretty inexcusable)
lol. Loading up a post with a bunch of questions doesn’t indicate not knowing?
You know what’s a result of ‘this great political genius’?:
Marie Pinkney
Russ Huxtable
Eric Morrison
Larry Lambert
Rae Moore
DeShanna Neal
Sophie Phillips
Cyndie Romer
Madinah Wilson-Anton
Oh, and
Kam Smith
Frank Burns. With perhaps Monica Beard and Tracey Miller to follow. All thanks to WFP.
Raising the question–and your point IS?
WFP burned a lot of bridges over the O’Mara endorsement. Not just with our own rank-and-file, but with the presumptive Meyer administration. We could have had a seat at the table, but I expect we will need to line up at the door like everyone else. I’m glad that we have a smattering of state reps and senators in our corner, but I won’t hang up the “mission accomplished” banner until the executive branch is captured. Do not underestimate the power of an entrenched Delaware Way executive office to stymie progressive policy.
I’m curious about why you think Meyer would have owed something to the WFP had they endorsed him. He quite obviously didn’t need their endorsement.
What makes you think Meyer is entrenched in the Delaware Way?
Meyer doesn’t reflect the old Delaware way, but understand that if there isn’t a strong progressive voice in the room he can lose sight of the project. The administrative state in Dover is filled with Delaware way types who will interact with him on a daily basis and will be have a real sway on decision making.
Matt stuck his neck out for some key progressive projects, most notably police reform in the county. I didn’t see O’mara even lift a finger, but he ended up getting the nod based on talking points. If I were Matt, I’d feel differently about pursuing progressive projects in the future, because so far the WFP has shown they won’t have his back.
So if you were Matt you wouldn’t pursue progressive policies because WFP didn’t endorse you? I don’t think that’s how it works, unless you think he has no real interest in pursuing progressive policies and would only do so for selfish reasons.
Progressive policy isn’t the default in Delaware. I don’t think any politician with half a brain would burn political capital on anti-Delaware way legislation, with at best tepid WFP support.
I actually think Matt has more backbone than some WFP grads (*cough* Kerri) and will pursue his progressive policy goals regardless of WFP support. But this represents a blown opportunity and I hope there is a real change in WFP policy regarding vetting and endorsements moving forward
WFP’s support of a candidate matters in local races involving people with scant public track records because there’s little information to go on. But it’s much less important in a high-profile race like governor. I generally support WFP (though I hate its exclusionary name), but I still managed to figure out that Meyer, not O’Mara, was preferable. So did lots of others.
Similarly, I can make up my own mind about whether to support or oppose a policy. And if unpopular progressive policies get enacted, no amount of WFP support at re-election time is going to make a difference. Nobody is going to enact a policy that polls badly because WFP has their back.
This is the second time in the last month I have seen Kerri mentioned but I’m not sure what she did that has people so disappointed.
I haven’t followed her at all since she ran against Carper so I genuinely have no idea what she’s been up to.
‘Our own rank-and-file’.
Well, that’s me, among others. Even have the T-shirt, and I campaign in it.
The O’Mara endorsement turned out to be a mistake. Because, unlike vetted WFP candidates, he hadn’t done the work to get the endorsement, just laid out a strong progressive agenda, then didn’t follow through by campaigning as if he really wanted it.
But when the chips were down, they helped elect Kam and Frank in close elections.
People learn from their mistakes. Oh, and we wouldn’t have anything even approaching a progressive General Assembly without them.
Thurman Adams was a Democrat.
So was James Vaughn. The Democratic Party was chock full of assholes before the Republicans took in all the racist Dixiecrats.
“if we end up with Mimi then we basically just have the same thing.”
This seems a little premature, unless by “same thing” you mean “someone in over her head.” For one thing, the makeup of the House isn’t the same. For another, the governor isn’t the same, and you really don’t know what his policies are going to be, or how his proposals will mesh with the GA’s. So whatever comes next, it’s not likely to be basically the same thing.
Meyer turned out not to need the WFP endorsement but if they had endorsed, nobody would have known that. They would have looked like they could go head to head with the groups that think of themselves as the biggest king or queen makers in Delaware. They might very well have looked like the difference.