DL Exclusive: Rep. Bryon Short Considering Run for State Insurance Commissioner
State Rep. Bryon Short (D-Highland Woods) today told Delaware Liberal that he is considering a run for State Insurance Commissioner.
While he has not made a decision on the race, he told me that it’s important that the IC’s office does an effective job of ‘setting the marketplace’ to ensure competition and consumer choices, and to ‘effectively address the concerns and problems facing consumers’. He also said that the work of the office ‘is very important, but unfortunately people aren’t made aware as to just how important it is, and how it impacts them’.
Short has attended the last two NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) meetings in order to extend his knowledge for both his House committee work and to possibly prepare for a statewide run.
In his capacity as chair of the House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance/Commerce Committee, Short has been particularly active in addressing problems with Delaware’s Workmen’s Comp laws.
He’s also sponsored and passed a couple of bills this session that I think are pretty darned good:
If he enters the race, he will be a serious candidate with a legitimate chance to win. And, if we’re lucky, his wife, Kristin Barnekov Short, will run for his 7th District House seat. This is one of those rare instances where I’d enthusiastically endorse a familial succession plan.
Tags: Bryon Short Delaware, Delaware Insurance Commissioner, El Somnambulo, Featured, Rep. Bryon Short, Steve Tanzer Delaware
Funny how I tell you guys I’m running and I get no coverage… I guess as a downstater who’s young I’m out of the running for ANY coverage, honorable mentions… Something
Well, you’ve been touting your candidacy over here for a couple of months now, and more power to you.
Now that Bryon Short has told us why he’s considering running, perhaps you will tell us as well.
I don’t mean to diminish your enthusiasm to run, I just want to know why.
BTW, I’m not singling you out. The first question I ask anyone who is running is “Why are you running?” It’s the one question that candidates should be able to answer within 30 seconds. When I used to help w/candidate training, this was one of the first things we taught candidates.
To give a recent example, it’s the first question I asked Sean Barney when I met him. He couldn’t/wouldn’t answer it.
El , Som,
Since you raised the possibility, if a legislator is married to a statewide elected official, where does one draw the conflict of interest line with regard to legislation affecting the statewide elected official’s office?
Salary only? Any spending for the office? Legislation to strengthen/diminish the powers of the office?
At the very least, under this scenario, the IC would appear to have the benefit of a full-time lobbyist within the House chamber.
Right? Wrong? Just the Delaware Way at work?
I don’t have any answers, but it’s always a good idea to start by posing the questions.
Good questions.
My initial reaction is that the legislator should not vote on matters directly benefiting their spouse. Salary, benefits and the like. That’s pretty obvious.
However, I don’t see a problem in voting on, say, insurance matters. Unless the legislator is employed by the insurance industry.
There’s ample talent in Brandywine Hundred that its legislative delegation need not be drawn from one family.
And the suggested fig leaf is meaningless.
JM, I don’t think there’s any way she’d run.
But she was a legislative fellow, one of the best we’ve ever had in Dover, and then worked for the Senate just long enough to realize that the LAST thing she wanted to do was to spend her career with some of those people.
So, she went into the family business. But she’s qualified, and I think she’d be an outstanding rep.
We’re sorta getting ahead of ourselves, though.
I’ve attended Small Business Caucus meetings on Worker’s Comp Insurance run by Rep. Short and IMHO he would be an excellent IC, just as he is an excellent Rep. This is the best news I’ve heard in months. GO BRYON!
I could easily support both Shorts! How refreshing to think Bryon might run. Where’s the sign up sheet for volunteers???
Chopped Liver? 😉
I trust Bryon Short will reach out to Mitch Crane for some insight into the backroom B.S. that took place last time. Including flooding the field with candidates to split the vote.
I wish this blog had a notification system, by the time I figured out I had a soapbox, I was too late 😉 lol
But anyway, here is a blog with a newly posted statement of why I’m running. Hope it’s to everyone’s liking
http://www.auenfordelaware.wordpress.com