Flowers Announces Reelection Bid

So any notion that Flowers would be scared off running for reelecton was foolish, as he officially declares today that he is running for reelection, despite two expenses scandals and an idiotic confrontation with the Governor:

Flowers’ tumultuous relationship with the Cash Management Policy Board frequently made headlines and led the General Assembly to pass legislation clearly defining that the Board has final say over the state’s investment portfolio.

But Flowers views that as a positive, framing it as his way of standing up to Governor, and, former treasurer Jack Markell, who appointed many members that board.

Flowers also faced down two scandals over the past year: one involving a former deputy misusing her state-issued credit card, while the other involved his own credit card charges during out-of-state trips. All charges from both accounts were paid back.

Flowers acknowledges that mistakes were made.

“I, as the head of the office, apologize for what happened with the program, but the problem was resolved and I think voters are going to have to weigh whether or not was the situation overblown for political reasons or has the problem been resolved,” said Flowers. “And I think that voters are going to figure out that the problem was resolved.”

This story also mentions that some Democratic Party operatives say that Flowers is an underdog in the primary. Those Democratic Party operatives are idiots. Flowers is a good campaigner, a great retail politician with lots of charisma. Sean Barney, while a good man with an honorable and heroic personal story to tell, is much more soft spoken and nervous when he speaks publicly. Right now, in a contest of appearances and style, which do matter in campaigns during public speeches and appearances, Flowers has a huge advantage even despite his scandals.

Further, have these Democratic Party operatives learned nothing from Karen Weldin Stewart? Trying to defeat an embarrassing incumbent is extremely difficult. Granted, Karen was smart enough to get multiple challengers in her primary in 2012 so as to dilute the anti-Karen vote (and if any of you think Gallagher and Spivack were challengers of their accord, I have a bridge to sell you). Right now, it is just a two man race, and so the anti-Chip vote will be behind Sean Barney. The problem is, the party establishment really doesn’t do upstart insurgency. It may get behind one, after it was already started, as in Mitch Crane’s case. But since we are not talking about Insurance Commissioner Crane now, even that doesn’t work.

No, it is going to be VERY difficult to defeat Chip Flowers. Especially when he talks like this:

“The old guard has the power to put firebombs in the newspaper to try to scare people, but I assure you, people are going to stand up,” Flowers told WDDE. “And when you give them the opportunity to look at the record of the governor’s former policy director versus my record as state treasurer, one record has millions of dollars being made. The other one, not so much.”