Breaking: Spence to Run Against Protack

Filed in National by on January 17, 2008

By BETH MILLER, The News Journal

Speaker of the House Terry Spence, R-Stratford, announced Thursday evening that he will run for governor. (Buy photo)Gary Emeigh/The News Journal
Speaker of the House Terry Spence, R-Stratford, said today he will file preliminary papers with the state Department of Elections by Tuesday to explore a run for the governor’s office.

Will he have to step down to run? Is he up for election this time? Can he run for both?

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Jason330 is a deep cover double agent working for the GOP. Don't tell anybody.

Comments (34)

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  1. anon. says:

    No. He cannot run for both. Just take the night off I’ve been all over this story like Dave on a roast beef sandwich.

  2. jason330 says:

    I’d agree with that.

  3. jason330 says:

    No doubt your foreknowledge of Dave’s intentions sparked that crazy outburst about Burris the elder earlier.

  4. Tyler Nixon says:

    That does it. Now I am running too.

    Come on everybody…more the merrier!

    (This has to be the craziest day I can remember in Del. GOP politics.)

  5. jason330 says:

    Tyler –

    Is this Spence’s way of trying to retire with some elan?

    I mean, leaning into a pitch and talking one for the team is better than just saying “I quit.” one afternoon.,,,,right?

  6. anon. says:

    Question is Jason will Oberle and Lofink now retire at the end of this General Assembly? They will not serve in the minority, will they?

  7. Rebecca says:

    Whoo Ha! Great news for Mike Barbieri in the 18th race. I’m just tickled!

  8. R Smitty says:

    Jason – to answer your question about being up for election this time…he’s a Rep, bud. Of course, he’s up. That’s why Rebecca is all bubbly about Barbieri.

  9. jason330 says:

    Spence is the 18th. Barbieri ran a good race last time. That will be a Dem pickup.

  10. liberalgeek says:

    I sort of feel like we should be live-blogging the GOP frenzy tonight.

  11. just me says:

    I thought Dave stepped aside from county chair because of family and time restraints? Wow being off a month really must do a person wonders?

  12. liz allen says:

    Total implosion!

  13. Jennifer says:

    Just how old is Spence?
    I know he knew Moses personally.

  14. John Feroce says:

    An honorable man who also happens to be the longest serving Speaker of the House in the US, a Republican who is constantly re-elected in a Democratic district (and plenty of union backing), and an experienced Delaware public servant with solid name recognition.

    Like they say…be careful what you wish for.

  15. liberalgeek says:

    Such brave talk, John. Admit it, there’s turmoil and your team is scrambling. Honestly, give us what you got. We have a great line up and you guys are hoping to find a diamond in the rough.

  16. John Feroce says:

    “Such brave talk, John.”

    My words don’t require bravery, I’ve always been a Terry Spence fan.

  17. Middletown Gabe says:

    So Spence is going to run? I hope there is a bit more dedication to the race than 2000 when he left quite a few of us in a tight spot. We really went to bat for him and he proved to be not up for the fight.
    Too much time on the golf course.

  18. jason330 says:

    He’ll address that as soon as he gets back from Palm Beach.

  19. liberalgeek says:

    You can like him all you want, but he has a huge uphill battle here and it is late in the game. I’m not saying anything about Spence, per se, I’m saying that you guys are a high school team going up against a pro team, and your starters are all injured.

  20. Thomas R. Wilmington says:

    Let’s take a guess how long the “party” will back Spence.
    It’s unfortunate that the party bosses are taking a good guy who is being used by the party to stall Protack who won’t be stopped no matter what the party does.
    Spence will be out of politics when he loses to Protack. No speakership – no nothing.

  21. R Smitty says:

    When can we expect the first postcards? They were for Spence last week.

  22. cassandra m says:

    It occurs to me that maybe Levin decided not to run after his polls told him that there were way more Protack sockpuppets in DE than Republican voters.

  23. R Smitty says:

    Hmmm….could have a point. Maybe if Levin left his router unsecured, it could work in his favor.

  24. cassandra m says:

    C’mon — let’s think like entrepreneurs here!

    Levin likely has enough juice left to get a temporary router in every Happy Harry’s in DE (and some Walgreens over the border). Leave them all unsecured, and you got yourself a republican landslide, baby.

  25. tee hee, what all DID I miss last night?

  26. Thomas R. Wilmington says:

    isn’t Spence the guy who had the most money given to him by lobbyists?

    If I want a ticket to Dover Downs I will call Mr. Spence but I will call someone else to be Governor.

    I can’t wait for every other legislator to back one of their own which is the last thing Delaware needs.

  27. Al Mascitti says:

    Thanks for the input Mike, er, “Thomas R. Wilmington.”

  28. Von Cracker says:

    My dad lived in Stratford for over 20 years, so I know a little about this guy. One interesting, recent observation was that he made no mention of his political affiliation on signage, or any other promo stuff, during the last election.

    He certainly has tried to run away from the GOP moniker recently, but I can’t see him disowning the Borg for a gubernatorial race…..good luck with that.

  29. Sagacious Steve says:

    “Spence Exploring Run for Governor” is what newspaper editors call a ‘dog bites man’ story. In other words, business as usual, but not news.

    As is the inevitable followup: “Spence Opts Out of Guv Run”.

  30. What I love most about Spence is that the guy wears overcoats that are probably worth more than the property he lists as his residence north of New Castle.
    When Delaware Clean Sweep went caroling a few years ago, we had baskets of encouragement for some of our target legis. I was assigned the job of delivering the holiday package to Di Pinto (reasonably nice house, super nice city neighborhood), Vallihura ( super mansion at the top of the ‘mountain’ in the most exclusive part of the state-may have since moved due to divorce?) and Spence (paper napkin-sized lot with tiny four room residence smack underneath the NCC airport’s runway traffic).

  31. Truthful Cassandra says:

    Troll alert.
    The only troll on the blogosphere is Dave Burris who makes vicious personal attacks yet is himself, a personal failure in every respect, the biggest loser in the GOP is Levin who strung us along with no sense of honor and the biggest moron is Terry Strine who orchestrated this diaster. Strine should resign immediately.

    The GOP bosses are a very very scary bunch of gremlins.

  32. Thomas R. Wilmington says:

    I’m not Mr. Protack although I may be a “troll.” It appears that all of us that support Protack are somehow “trolls.”
    I guess I’d rather be a Troll for Protack rather than a Crook for Spence or a Fool for Burris.
    It’s Mr. Protack’s race to lose and I don’t believe that will happen this year.

  33. liz allen says:

    Nancy: that day was some big fun! I remember you saying “that guy surely doesn’t live THERE!

    Why do republicans and republican lite think we must have a “millionaire only” running for office!

    Give me a working person, who understands the common persons plight, with no money, but good government issues — thats the person I would be supporting….not such rich fool whose only mission is to keep Greenville happy, while the rest the 98% struggle to make ends meet.

  34. R Smitty says:

    I think someone forgot to tell the trolls that Mikey P actually likes Spence…well, probably until last night.