Delaware

After yesterday's expected but still game changing and shocking retirement of Senator George Bunting downstate, it is obviously time to update our 62 District Strategy charts. Some more candidates have officially filed, but you will be surprised at how many districts still have no filed candidates, including those with incumbents who everyone expects to run for reelection. That is not unusual, especially if they have no declared opposition. Some, in that scenario, wait until the last possible minute (which is July 10, the filing deadline). Due to the 2010 Census, and the resulting redrawing of all of the House and Senate districts, all of the seats in the General Assembly are up for election this year. All 21 Senators. All 41 Representatives. Kent and Sussex Counties have each gained a House seat, and Sussex County gains a Senate seat. In this post, we are going to address the House first. Click through to see the House map and charts and my estimation on how the races are shaping up.

To be fair, Tony Deluca has his supporters. John Daniello and those who make up the party appartus adore him. And to be fair, where did a lot of the progressive legislation that was pasted in 2009, 2010 and 2011 originate? The Senate. In large part, Deluca has kept the desk drawer shut whereas his predecessor used it with glee. And as a result, Deluca has support among a lot of the party faithful. It explains why 44% approval rating, 39% of which strongly approve of his performance. Then you flip the coin that is Deluca and you get the other side. The double dipping. The federal investigation. The arrogance. The vindictive leadership. The redistricting fiasco. Which is why 56% disapprove of his performance, 52% strongly.

People have made up their mind about Greg Lavelle, as 0% are undecided. It turns out that Greg Lavelle is as hated as any Republican in this state. He has a 58% disapproval rating, and a 42% approval rating, with 0% undecided.

One frequently heard refrain around the liberal blogosphere is “[fill in the blank with name of Democratic congressperson who voted the wrong way on the important legislation of the day] is a bad Democrat; let’s primary him!”

Well, how do you know who really is a good or bad Democrat? David Jarman at Daily Kos took the time to quantify who is a good or bad based upon a combination of the Partisan Voting Index and some congressional ranking services (in this case, Progressive Punch, the National Journal, and DW/Nominate, that determine who is the most liberal or conservative members of Congress based on their votes. Guess where Senator Tom Carper ranked?

No, not that. They have both expressed the ridiculous notion that Rush Limbaugh's free speech rights are being violated by the stampede of (to date) 98 advertisers and sponsors dropping him like a diseased potato.

Delaware enjoys its Democratic House of Representatives, and its Speaker. Bob Gilligan garners a surprisingly high 79% approval rating, making him the most popular politician in the state. This is surprising only because you would think not many people would know who he is, but then again, I am polling the readership of Delaware Liberal, a politically aware subset of the population. I fully expect Speaker Gilligan to brag about these numbers during the upcoming budget negotiations with Governor Markell.

As expected, industry advocate Paul Gallagher did not fare all too well around these parts. 66% view him unfavorably, and I think that might rival Karen Weldin Stewart's numbers. Another 18% are undecided or unsure, and 16% view him favorably. Now onto polling the party leadership in the General Assembly. House Speaker Bob Gilligan is up today, and next week, Senate President Pro Tem Tony Deluca, Senate Majority Leader Patti Blevins, Senate Minority Leader Gary Simpson, House Majority Leader Pete Schwartzkopf and House Minority Leader Greg Lavelle.