Delaware

After several months of going up, the Delaware unemployment rate finally went in the right direction (i.e. down) this past month, though just barely.

Delaware’s unemployment rate in August fell to 7.3 percent, down from 7.4 percent in July, according to Delaware’s labor department, which released its Monthly Labor Review this morning. There were 32,100 unemployed Delaware residents in August, down from 32,600 in July, and the same as one year ago, when the unemployment rate was listed at 7.2 percent, according to the report. Non-farm employment in Delaware was listed at 424,900, up from 424,800 in July, and up by 7,300 jobs from August 2012.

Today, if I had to give you my opinion on which Senate seats will be competitive and which will not, I honestly think only one will be: the 6th. Ernie Lopez faces a potential primary, and will apparently face a spirited challenge from Democrat Claire Synder Hall. If Lopez loses to Urquhart, then this seat becomes a Lean Democrat race. If it stays Lopez v. Synder Hall, then it is a Lean Republican race with a chance to become a true toss up. Now, you may be wondering why I don't think the 4th SD will be competitive, especially since Lavelle barely beat former Senator Katz last time, 50.1 to 47.5. Well, I believe that race was close because it was against an incumbent (Katz) who did his best to swing to the right after being the progressive challenger to former Senate President Pro Tem Tony Deluca. He had to swing to the right because Deluca made his district much more Republican in redistricting as revenge for the leadership challenge, which, ironically, ended up costing Deluca his own seat. So, now the district is more Republican. There is now no Democratic incumbent in office. Lavelle is in the Republican Leadership. He is very vocal and visible in the paper and on the radio. Thus, unless a major Democrat challenges him, I don't see Lavelle losing this seat for a while.

Governor Markell will be holding three town halls up and down the state over the next four weeks. Starting off in Kent County tomorrow at the Delaware Tech's Dover campus at 7 pm. The next one will be down in Sussex County on Thursday, October 3, at the Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes. And finally the Governor comes back up north to New Castle County on Thursday, October 10 for a town hall at Delcastle High School near Newport. The Governor wants to defend his record on the economy, but I think there are going to be uncomfortable questions on education and campaign finance.