Delaware

Senator Gary Simpson has been reelected by his Republican colleagues to continue as Senate Minority Leader. I am somewhat surprised that Lavelle did not grab the job to position himself for the 2016 Gubernatorial race. Yes, it would have been audacious for a newly elected freshman Senator to become Minority Leader, but not out of the realm of impossibility, since, after all, Lavelle did get elected as the Minority Whip, the second highest position in the Senate caucus. I think what we will see in Simpson stepping down after down the 2014 elections after six years in the leadership role to pass the mantle over to Lavelle.

Governor Jack Markell has called the Senate into a special session that will begin on December 5, next Wednesday. This special session will deal exclusively with the consideration of several of his judicial appointments. I wish the President could do this, force the Senate to take up his nominations to the Judiciary. Interestingly, this will not be a lame duck session of the last Senate. Rather, this will be the first session of each chamber in the new General Assembly that was just elected. Thus, Senators Bryan Townsend and Nicole Poore will get to vote. How exciting.