Del State News Adgate Coverage Continues To Kick The NJ’s Ass

A few days ago Delawaredem blogged on Drew Volturo’s Adgate story which (unlike the NJ) didn’t give equal weight to Carney’s BS damage controll campaign.

Today, Volturo notes the Progressive Dems have urged the state party to change its strategy, but that’s not all. He also reports that $14,000 was spent on the divisive ads (not the previsouly disclosed $7,500) and included Karen Peterson’s explaination for why the story has legs.

“ The ad rubs people the wrong way on two fronts — it’s party money being spent, and its con­tent is wrong,” said Sen. Peterson, adding that the ad made it sound like the lieutenant governor was the sole driving force behind the wind farm deal.

Click on “more” to read Volturo’s complete DSN story.

Dems battle over radio ad
New strategy urged; Peterson switches her endorsement
By Drew Volturo
Delaware State News DOVER — The aftershock from a Delaware Democratic Party radio ad championing Lt. Gov. John C. Carney Jr., who is locked in a gubernatorial pri­mary against state Treasurer Jack A. Markell, was felt Mon­day in a cautionary letter from a Democratic subgroup and a senator switching her endorse­ment.
Progressive Democrats for Delaware director Rebecca Young hand-delivered a two­-page letter from the group to state party chairman John D. Daniello Monday asking the party to “rethink this strategy” of spending thousands of dol­lars on an ad supporting Lt. Gov. Carney, who is the party-­endorsed candidate.
“In this case where the two candidates are both good, sol­id, long-serving members of the party with strong support within the family, spending party resources in such a bla­tant manner in support of one over the other looks bad,” Ms. Young wrote.
“In this case the party should stay out and let the voters have their say … The party needs to reverse this decision, not be­cause the rules require it but because it is the smart thing to do.”
Progressive Democrats for Delaware is a party-recognized group of about 300 Democrats, Ms. Young said, with about 50 serving on district committees throughout the state.
While the group has en­dorsed Mr. Markell for gover­nor, Ms. Young said in an inter­view that their frustration rests with the state party’s decision to spend more than $14,000 in party funds on radio ads back­ing a Democrat who is facing another Democrat in a prima­ry.
“Historically, the party has stayed out of these races in terms of funding until after the primary,” she said. “We have such evenly matched candidates that this only serves to be divisive.”
The 60-second ad, which aired on at least seven radio stations throughout the state, touted Lt. Gov. Carney’s role in reaching an agreement between Bluewa­ter Wind and Delmarva Power to build the first offshore wind farm in the U.S. off the Rehoboth Beach coast.
While the Democratic Party ad never mentions the governor’s race or Mr. Markell, the wind farm has been a focal point for the lieu­tenant governor in his campaign advertisements.
The issue has raised concerns from the Kent and Sussex county committee chairs about whether party funds would still be available for legislative and other statewide races in the general election.
State party spokesman Joseph Sheeran said the radio spot was an issue ad to “ highlight the issue of Bluewater Wind and renew­able energy and John Carney’s work on this issue.”
Mr. Sheeran would not com­ment further on the ad or the Pro­gressive Democrats’ letter.
The state party’s ad was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for Sen. Karen E. Peterson, D-Stanton, who announced Mon­day that she has switched her en­dorsement from Lt. Gov. Carney to Mr. Markell.
“ The ad rubs people the wrong way on two fronts — it’s party money being spent, and its con­tent is wrong,” said Sen. Peterson, adding that the ad made it sound like the lieutenant governor was the sole driving force behind the wind farm deal.
“A lot of people made that hap­pen, including many community activists,” Sen. Peterson said. “For any one person to claim responsi­bility, that’s just not right.”
Sen. Peterson, a senator who regularly bucks the leadership within her own party, said she has been contemplating her decision for “a long period of time” and determined that Lt. Gov. Carney had not distanced himself enough from Gov. Ruth Ann Minner.
“I waited and waited and waited. I’ve seen a couple subtle distinctions, but nothing like I ex­pected,” Sen. Peterson said. “His supporters are legislators who in my opinion are part of the prob­lem. They are in favor of keeping the status quo and closed govern­ment.”
Lt. Gov. Carney said he was “disappointed” by Sen. Peterson’s decision and hasn’t had a chance to speak with her about the switch, but he was not worried about losing the endorsement.
“I still have the support of the vast majority of elected Demo­crats, grassroots Democrats and the state Democratic Party,” Lt. Gov. Carney said.
Twenty-three of the 32 Demo­cratic legislators have endorsed the lieutenant governor.
Asked about Sen. Peterson’s comments about his role in the wind farm deal, Lt. Gov. Carney said, “I’m proud of my role in Bluewater Wind and bringing it to Delaware.”
Staff writer Drew Volturo can be reached at 741-8296 or dvolturo@newszap.com