(Author’s Note: I originally wrote the first part of this on Monday evening. I’ve saved it for posterity because, well, I’m lazy.)

I’m writing this under the assumption that the General Assembly will actually meet today.

Were Terry Spence still the Speaker Of The House, session would already be canceled.  Terry was legendary for calling off session at the slightest hint of flurries.  So much so that he inspired my 20-plus year run of dressing for Halloween as a ‘Non-Essential State Employee’, because ‘all non-essential state employees’ were ordered to stay home.  (There’s more than a hint of the truth in that statement, but I digress.)

Annnd…here we have it.  With no advanced notice, the ‘mini-Bond’ Bill,  which reallocates certain capital dollars previously authorized in past Bond bills, has appeared and is on today’s House Agenda. If you’re not armed with certain inside information (which I am not), you would have no idea what they’re doing.  Oh, and though this bill purportedly repurposes already-approved funds, look what else it proposes to do:  “…amend Delaware Code to require the Diamond State Port Corporation Executive Director to be selected by majority vote of the Board.”  Is that a function currently carried out by the Governor?  Or assigned to the Secretary of State?  If so, um, you see what they’re doing here?  Gee, I wonder if we’d have this change if Meyer had nominated Jeff Bullock to stay in this role.  Don’t know if this is a ‘gotcha’ or not.  But, there’s not much harm if the Governor vetoes this bill.  They can simply pass it, without the offending add-on, when they return in March.  If it is an offending add-on.

This Agenda surfaced late on Monday afternoon.  Because, unlike  Sen. Sokola, whose Senate Agendas are posted early on Fridays,  Speaker of the House Mimi Minor-Brown does not deign to provide sufficient notice.  This, in fact, is a weekly occurrence with her.

Of the items on that House Agenda, I especially like HB 151(Gorman).  Why?  Because we’ve seen how so-called privatized prisons nationwide skimp on providing contracted services so that they can wring more profit out of the government contracts they’ve received.  Just like ‘privatized’ nursing homes, except for prisoners. (And, just like that, this bill has been removed from Wednesday’s Agenda.)

(Author’s note: Here comes the new stuff):

Here’s today’s Senate Agenda.  Make of it what you will (did I mention I’m lazy?). Time for an appropriate musical interlude from an artist I brought to the Gild Hall:

BTW, Cat is the daughter of Luis Russell, who was Louis Armstrong’s bandleader.  She’s a regular on the Donald Fagen Steely Dan tours and sang backup on tour with David Bowie.  If you ever get the chance…

OK, back to reality.

Highlights from today’s scheduled House Committee Meetings:

HB 236 (Wilson-Anton) ‘allows a paid emergency medical technician working for a participating employer to be eligible for the County Municipal Police/Firefighter Pension Plan…(i)n addition, this Act will exclude firefighters and EMTs hired after the effective date of this Act from participating in the County and Municipal Employees’ Fund, in order to ensure the State’s pension plans comply with federal tax and pension law. Going forward, employees who work as paid firefighters, EMTs, or both will be eligible only for the Police/Firefighter Pension Fund. Judiciary.

HB 252 (Morrison) ‘makes use or consumption of a personal use quantity of a controlled substance or counterfeit controlled substance (products containing marijuana or tetrohydrocannabinols) in an area accessible to the public or in a moving vehicle a civil violation rather than a misdemeanor and changes the potential penalties for this offense to a fine of up to $50 for a first offense and up to $100 for subsequent offenses.  Health & Human Development.

HB 251 (Morrison) ‘allows the members of the (New Castle County) Council to elect a president from among themselves. To do so, this Act increases the number of councilmanic districts from 12 to 13 following the 2030 decennial census, effective with the general election following the redistricting, and removes provisions allowing for the election of a president from the county at-large. Elections & Government Affairs.

HB 233 (Burns): ‘requires regulated utilities to establish a separate rate for large energy-use facilities that mitigates the risk of costs associated with expanding infrastructure and maintaining reliability in the face of growing demand from being shifted to residential, small business, and other electric customers. Natural Resources & Energy.

Today’s Senate Committee Highlights:

SB 214 (Hoffner) ‘ requires the State to preserve all biological evidence in its custody that is secured in relation to an investigation or prosecution of a crime, for the period of time that the crime remains unsolved or the period of time that a person convicted of the crime remains in custody, regardless of whether the person pleaded guilty.’ Corrections & Public Safety.

SB 194 (Poore) ‘establishes worker protections for employees who work in a warehouse distribution center.  This Act requires employers to provide each employee with a written description of any quota the employee may be subject to during their scope of employment. This Act prohibits an employer from requiring an employee to meet a quota that would prevent the employee from being able to have meal and rest periods as required by Department of Labor standards.’ Labor.

SB 215 (Richardson) ‘generally requires a student athlete to compete for athletic teams or in sports associated with the student athlete’s biological sex, as determined at or near birth and based on the student athlete’s birth certificate or other government record if a birth certificate is unobtainable’.  A brochure bill to take idiot MAGAts’ alleged minds off of the stuff that really matters. Not going anywhere.  Education.

All of this supposes that there will be a session today.  If not, look for the exact same post tomorrow, with a date change.  You know why…

As usual, this will be a post-in-progress.  I will continue to update is as the finance reports roll in, the deadline for submissions being January 20.

I will post the most recent updates at the top as I see new ones.

Kevin Hensley closed out 2025 with $49K in his campaign account.  He will not go gently into that good night.  One can only hope that he will not drive inebriatedly into that good night.

That exercise in checking out the Richards, Layton & Finger attorneys who contributed to Krista Griffith sure came in handy.  You will find several of the same attorneys on the campaign finance report for–wait for it–Speaker Of The House Mimi Minor-Brown.  Hey, when your puppet shuts down debate on the Musk-pass bill, that’s the least you can do.  The Speaker closes out the year with about $41K in her war chest.  BTW, check out her expenditures.  Yes, she can pretty much spend the money as she sees fit.  Sure looks like she spent a lot of it on–herself.

Holy bleep! AG Kathy Jennings raised $214K this year. I’m calling it–Jennings coasts to a third term.

Holy bleep!  Kyle Evans Gay raised over $122K this year.   She’s not up for reelection until 2028.  I’m calling it–Delaware’s next Governor, perhaps in 2032, perhaps earlier.

The Senate R PAC raised $24K in 2025,  $20K of which came from Richards, Layton & Finger. 

The Wilmington City Committee has over $74K available.  The donations are from all over the Democratic political spectrum. None of it, though, from John Carney.

The Democratic State Committee has–not much money.  As in, just over $9K in the bank.

Sen. Dave Sokola, who is retiring, has about $44K in his campaign committee coffers.  He’s been notably generous with contributions to other campaigns.  I look for that to continue.

Remember all those addiction center donations to The Original Mike Smith?  Well, there’s a Delaware’s Future PAC that received contributions from two of the same addiction centers, along with $1K from Colin Bonini and, wait for it, $10K from the ‘Republican State Leadership Committee’ based in Washington D. C. 

D State Rep. Kim Williams (RD 19) raised $13.5K in 2025, spent a little over $13K, and has about $38K in her war chest.

State Sen. Eric Buckson, who clearly has his eyes on bigger things than the State Senate, has close to $30 K on hand starting 2026.  Look forward to his fundraising efforts ramping up acccordingly.

Gotta give Gov. Matt Meyer credit.  He listed every donation, even down to $1, on his annual campaign finance report.  There were no PAC or corporate donations in 2025.  He raised about $102K, paid off a $580 K loan to his campaign, and began the year with over $573K in the bank.  I, for one, will be interested in which candidates he chooses to donate to.

Something called The Blue Anchor Project filed a campaign report in Delaware.  Looks like a progressive committee, driven largely by small donations, almost none of them from Delaware.  Raised $124K in 2025, spent about 118K in 2025.  The bulk of expenditures appear to have come from Maine.  Saw no direct contributions to candidates.

Pam Salaam, who is challenging Franklin Cooke in a D primary in RD 17, has raised slightly over $4K.  That’s OK, but she’s capable of more. Hope she does more funding outreach to all the people who, like me, see Cooke as an impediment to progress.  She doesn’t need to outraise him, but she needs to raise enough to propel her grassroots campaign.

The Democratic Senate Majority Caucus Campaign Committee has a $116K war chest at their disposal.  I notice a $5K donation from Caesar’s of Las Vegas.  Reminds me of a quote from Bob Costas:  “The Raiders Cheerleaders are just like the girls next-door–if you live next door to Caesar’s Palace.”

D Wilmington City Council President Trippi Congo has a balance of minus-$1808.  Plus, his campaign has an outstanding loan of about $49K.

D Sen. Kyra Hoffner (SD14)  has about $12 K in her campaign fund.  I’d like to see a healthier bottom line as she’s facing a strong challenger this year.

Colin OMara transferred his remaining committee balance, about $1300, to the national Working Families Party.

Is Dwayne Bensing running for AG? I don’t know, but he raised over $59K last year.  However, he accepted no contributions after July, so I’m pretty sure he’s decided not to challenge for that race.  However, there’s no reason why he couldn’t transfer those funds into a committee to run for something else.  Just thought I’d dangle that possibility out there…

Looks like D Rep. Alonna Berry (RD 20) is in pretty good shape heading into 2026.  She has $17K on-hand, and she paid off a $22K loan last year.

The Original Mike Smith’s (R Rep from the 22nd District) campaign finance report is puzzling.  He lists five $600 contributions, all from the ‘Addiction Wellness Center IN LLC’ in Westminster, MD, along with yet another $600 contribution from the ‘Addiction Medication Clinic’ in Laurel, Maryland, along with yet another $600 contribution from ‘Abrian Enterprises Inc’, which has the exact same address as the ‘Addiction Wellness Center, along with yet another $600 contribution simply labeled ’11/23/25′, which just happens to be the date of all the other contributions I just mentioned.  That one has a Berlin, MD address.  There’s more.  I spotted several addiction facilities and recovery centers among his contributors. Like, oh, look, Cardinal Wellness Center, $600, exact same address as the ‘Addiction Wellness Center’.  Same with Galen Diagnostics, same with GCC Certificates LLC, exact same address.  Same with the Lotus Recovery Center of Prices Corner, which curiously has the same address as all the others.  We also have $600 contributions each from Recovery 180 LLC in Westminster, PA; Recovery 180 Virginia LLC in Warrenton, Va.,; and Reprise Recovery LLC in Baltimore.  Were I the suspicious type, I might posit that someone was trying to get around campaign spending limits.  But that’s just me.

Nnamdi Chukwuocha has about $39K on hand for his primary against Shane Darby.  I couldn’t help but notice one contribution in particular–$600 from Bryan Townsend’s campaign committee. A thank-you for selling out to Elon Musk?  Most likely.

The Other Mike Smith’s primary opponent Ted Lauzen has a campaign finance report that reads like a who’s who of Delaware’s Rethugocracy.  The entire Burris family; the Republican Strines, not to be confused with the Democratic Strines; Ben DuPont; pretty much all of Westover Hills; the Sussex Schells, and many more.  He’s raised about $129K, plus has lent his campaign another $250K. Yhe majority of it from out of state.  So, we have two ‘Democrats’ who nobody knows, each with massive war chests, running for the low-key position of State Treasurer.  Spoiler Alert: Neither is really running for Treasurer, they both have their sights set on something more impactful.  Can’t we just get a normal Democrat to run?  I don’t trust either of these two candidates, to put it mildly.

The Other Mike Smith raised over $109K this year.  Virtually all of it from out-of-state.  I mean way out of state.  All of the max $1200 contributions were from out of state.  We’re talking Cali (a shitload out of Berkeley), NY, Utah (Benjamin Romney?), Illinois, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Texas, several others.  Going out on a limb–I don’t believe that a guy who ran a hinky not-for-profit has all these connections and, if he does, just what those connections are.  I’ll definitely be doing a deeper dive on this one.  First early impression–many of the contributors are involved in AI work.  I’ll keep digging.

Rae Krantz, who is primarying Deb Heffernan in RD 6, raised a very respectable almost $16K, all of it from individual contributions, no PAC’s or corporate money.

Stephanie Bolden’s report is –interesting.  She reports a year-end balance of just over $8K.  However, she reports outstanding loans to the campaign of almost $10K.  Not clear how someone whose last campaign was bankrolled by Buccini/Pollin could be running with a deficit, but, hey, it’s Stephanie Bolden.

Sen. Nicole Poore closed out the year with over $70K in the bank.  Looks like she traded out the car dealerships who previously bankrolled her campaigns for restaurants and people in the restaurant industry.  I’m sure there’s some special interest legislation behind this, I’ll make it an item for further research.

Lest you wonder who is bankrolling Monique Johns, she collected $1800 this year, of which a total of $1200 came from Shawn and Michele Tucker.  Some people just sell out cheap.

Gemma Lowery, one of the two D’s challenging incumbent R State Rep Kevin Hensley, raised over $7100, which is less than half of what primary challenger Michelle Wall has raised.

Remember that ‘Wilmington Strong’ PAC started by Carney crony Javier Horstmann?  They got two contributions–one from Carney, the other from Mike Houghton.

The two businesses that give to almost everybody, so much so that they’re inescapable–Burns Thornburg LLC, a corporate law firm; and Harrington Raceway.  JP Morgan Chase isn’t far behind.

Kevin Hensley closed the year out with over $49K in the bank.  He raised over $26K this year.  An inordinate amount from PACs and corporations.  So much so that I’m gonna get my calculator out…$9200 from PACs and corporations.  Also, ex-state trooper Dave Baylor kicked in $100.  Guess drunk driving is of secondary importance to him.

We officially have our Big $$’s legislative race of the year.  Krista Griffith has about $122K in the bank, $60K of which is in the form of a loan.  I think the race between her and Dr. Rob Bahnsen will therefore be won by who has the best grassroots campaign.  I think that Bahnsen has a big advantage there.  But we shall see.

D Rep. Melanie Ross Levin (RD 10) raised over $35K this year.

A very impressive report from D Maureen Madden, who is running in RD 38, presumably against incumbent R Ron Gray.  Madden raised over $33K and has lent the campaign $5K.  No PAC or corporate money.  This race is officially on my radar.

Shay Frisby raised over $12 K in her challenge to incumbent Ray Seigfried in SD 5.  That’s more than twice as much as Seigfried has raised since the Special Election.  All of Shay’s contributions are from individuals, no PAC or corporate money.

Bethany Hall Long has a little over $32K remaining in her campaign account.  By far her biggest expenditure this year was to Debra (Allen) DeLuca, who was her final treasurer (something like sixth out of six).  Not surprisingly, BHL has amended her 2024 campaign filings six times already this cycle.  She’ll get it right eventually.

The Rethuglican State Committee goes into 2026 with a little over $21 K in the bank.  I’m no expert, but that doesn’t seem like a lot.

Whoa!  DOUBLE Whoa!! Dr. Rob Bahnsen raised over $57K for his campaign for RD 12.  The seat is currently held by fellow D Krista Griffith. All of Bahnsen’s contributions came from 233 individual donors as the campaign has not accepted donations from PAC’s or corporations.  He also committed $45 K of his own $$’s to the campaign, giving him a war chest of over $100K.

Pete Schwartzkopf still has about $76K in his account.  His only two post-Special Election donations were to Darius Brown and Bill Bush.

Save Our Sussex, which appears to be a group with progressive environmental leanings, raised over $27K this year.  They maxed out to Alonna Berry.

Curtis Linton raised over $13K in his race for the  NCC District 1 seat currently held by the retiring Penrose Hollins.  Yes, most of the funding is either from labor or is labor-adjacent.  That’s a strong number, though.

Shané Darby raised over $8K this year, all from individual contributors.  She has spent about $1300, all of it on direct campaign expenses.

Looks like both candidates in that SD 1 race are well-equipped for the campaign.  Incumbent Dan Cruce has $61,700 in his war chest, and, yes, he’s maxed out to Nnamdi Chukwuocha, Deb Heffernan and Krista Griffith.  The one surprising note, at least to me, was how little money he spent on the Special Election.  Challenger Adriana Leela Bohm has raised almost $20 K, which is really a strong total, especially when you see that she has not accepted any PAC money.  Grassroots campaigns can easily run on far less money than those funded by the corporate overlords.  I’m really encouraged by Bohm’s report.

The ‘Other’ Mike Smith received $21K in contributions to his RD 21 PAC in 2025.  ‘Received’ is not the correct word–all of the contributions came from one ‘Mr. Michael Alexander Smith’.  Probably from the $$’s he gave to himself as the administrator for his phony on-profit.  And get this, he apparently ‘received’ (aka ‘donated’) these funds in 10 separate transactions–all taking place on 12/11/2025.  Oh and he then ‘expended’ over $9200 to one ‘Friends For Michael Smith’ on 12/15/2025.  I suspect, but don’t know, that he’s transferring that sum to his Treasurer’s campaign. I’ll say it again:  This guy is a scam artist, and we don’t really know who he is.  Can’t wait for his Treasurer’s Campaign filing…

Not sure why M Sherm Porter had to amend his annual report seven times seeing as he didn’t raise a penny this year, but he did.

D Gregg Lindner raised a respectable $9K-plus in his race against Jeff Hilovsky in this Suxco RD.

I could be wrong on this, but it doesn’t look like a single donor to Valerie Jones Giltner actually lives in her district.

Dee Durham raised over $13K this year.  None of it from lobbyists.  Personal to Jason Hoover–you might want to see how Dee is doing it.

Janet Kilpatrick has a little over $11K in her account, should she decide to run again.  Didn’t raise any money in 2025.

Looks like Debra Heffernan is running again.  Had $64K in the bank at the end of 2025, raised almost $32 K of it last year.

The Republican House Leadership PAC ended the year with $1,428.22 in the bank.  Sad.

Can someone explain to me why the ABC Merit Shop PAC (the non-union contractors) donated $600 to Speaker Mimi Minor-Brown last year?  BTW, they also donated $1200 to that Ted Lauzen guy.  

Sen. Ray Seigfried has about $21K in the bank, with $7K of that coming from a loan.  His donations come from a veritable who’s who of lobbyists.  To name but a few, Allen Strategies, LLC;  Barnes & Thornburg LLC; Delaware Alcoholic Beverages LLC;  DelawareHealthcare Association; Energy Transfer LP from Dallas, TX; Guerke, Swayze & Parkowski; Highmark; and JP Morgan & Chase. By far my favorite entry, though, is:  Blue Hen Republican PAC, 1400 Woodlawn Ave,  Wilm. DE 19809–$600.  You no longer have to take my word for it that Seigfried’s a corporate whore, it’s right there in his campaign finance statement.

Jason Hoover has raised–not much money.  About $1640, of which over $800 was transferred from his previous campaign committee.  Not saying you have to raise big bucks to win a County Council race, but you need to do better than this.  Seriously, I’m shocked by this report.  Looks like Terrell Williams all over again–lot of self-promotion to progressive influencers–no money for outreach to voters.  Prove me wrong, Jason.

Cop and Cop fellator Franklin Cooke has $17K in the bank, including $600 from lobbying firm Allen Strategies, $600 from Harrington Raceways, and $600 from Zeneca Inc.

Shore Democrats raised a shockingly-impressive almost $40K this year, virtually all of it from small recurring donations.  They donated to key Suxco candidates, including Claire Snyder-Hall and Alonna Berry.  I hope they continue to flourish in the absence of Jeff Balk.

D Nisha Lodhavia (more on her Friday), who just announced her candidacy for the SD 15 seat being vacated by the retiring Dave Lawson, raised an impressive  $16K-plus.

Michelle Wall, one of two D’s seeking to oust Kevin Hensley in RD 9, has raised a quite respectable $18K, excluding loans.  Of note, Erik Raser Schramm has contributed $600, and that Ted Lauzen guy has contributed $350.  Make of it what you will.

Colleen Davis has spent her remaining campaign funds.

Kids, check out the report from Sheet Metal Workers Local 19.  They report total receipts of $51,099.90 for the year, and, get this, allegedly without a single donation above $100.   I smell shenanigans.  BTW, probably a misprint, but a $5000 contribution went to “House Of Democrats”.  I love stuff like this.  Although a contribution to “3-D House Of Stewardesses” would have been cooler.  Might have even earned the fellas at the Sheet Metal Lodge those complimentary 3-D glasses.

Claire Snyder-Hall raised over $54 K this year, almost all of it from within her district.  One of the healthiest reports I’ve seen so far.

R Mark Pugh, who is seeking a rematch with Sen. Kyra Hoffner in SD 14, raised $19K this year.  A respectable amount, which is to be expected, as he came very close last time and is not currently facing any primary opposition.  I suspect that Hoffner may report an even larger war chest.  This could be one of the most competitive races of the cycle.

“We are kings of our bikes. So, we are again really lucky to live in Rehoboth, when we park a car, we have to get back into the car. We can hop on our bikes and our ritual is that we are always biking from our home to L(ewe)s. We do a little bit of walking around, a little bit of margarita, a little bit of good food – there’s amazing food then bike right back. So the ritual, on our bikes, every chance we can, any place we can go, and eliminate the cars.”–Dan Cruce. 

1. How Many Richards, Layton & Finger Attorneys Does It Take To Change A Lightbulb?  I don’t know, but these are the RL & F lawyers who lit up Rep. Krista Griffith’s campaign finance report:

C. Stephen Bigler: $600

Robert Burns: $200

Susan Cohen: $300

Matthew Criscimagna: $150

Brock Czeschin: $400

Doneene Damon: $600

Daniel DeFranceschi: $300

Raymond J. DiCamillo: $600

Alexandra Ewing: $500

Kelly Farnan: $300

Steven Fineman: $300

Kevin Gallagher: $600

Paul Heath: $600

Tara Hoffner: $600

Travis Hunter: $600

Kenneth Jackman: $200

Kent Jordan: $600

Cory Kandestin: $100

Daniel Kaprow: $100

Bernard Kelley: $600

Rudolph Koch: $200

Mark Kurtz: $100

Kyle Lachmund: $600

Gregory Ladner: $400

Elisa Maas: $600

Brian Mammarella: $600

Katherine Mowry: $200

Jeffrey Moyer: $600

Stephanie Norman: $200

Joshua Novak: $600

Srinivas Raju: $600

Marcos Ramos: $600

Blake Rohrabacher: $600

Richard Rollo: $200

Brendan Schlauch: $300

Lisa Schmidt: $600

Eric Schwartzman: $100

Chad Shandler: $150

Russell Silberglied: $250

Robert Stern: $200

Amanda Steele: $300

Nathaniel Stuhlmiller: $600

Sarah Wagner: $600

John-Mark Zeberkiewicz: $500.

Remember, kids, Richards, Layton & Finger was the law firm expressly chosen by Elon Musk to push his legislation through the Delaware General Assembly.  Also remember that Krista Griffith called every single amendment to the bill an ‘unfriendly’ amendment, because they were deemed unfriendly by Musk and Zuckerberg.  This is merely a record of who Griffith sold out to, and how much she got in return.  From 44 attorneys, all from the same firm.  Remember whose interests she represented when her primary against Dr. Rob Bahnsen takes place.

2. Kira Alejandro: Remember The Name.  She is running for the 3rd NCC Council seat currently held by the odious Janet Kilpatrick.  Although she’s ‘only’ 30, I was blown away at her depth of knowledge into the dirty land use dealings that are going on in her district.  Stuff I knew nothing about.  She makes an appearance in this Spotlight Delaware article:

After years of trying to limit development, residents in the small community of Yorklyn successfully lobbied state environmental regulators to change an obscure piece of legislation that had allowed developers to skirt county land use authority in the area.

Before the change, any parcel of land within one segment of Delaware’s chateau country could have been incorporated into the broader Auburn Valley redevelopment project, bypassing New Castle County land use regulations in favor of more lax state oversight.

Oh, the ‘obscure piece of legislation’?  Word on the street is that one Deborah Hudson Capano snuck the language into a Bond Bill many moons ago.  But I digress:

Typically, land use decisions are made by Delaware counties and proposals go through multiple public forums before approval. But in the case of Yorklyn, those approvals have been signed behind closed doors, without community involvement.

In 2021, one of those state approvals sparked outrage among residents after they learned that a piece of forested land had been clear cut for a luxury townhouse development. Residents’ ire have continued in the years since.

Greg Patterson takes action:

Last week (June of 2023), DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson told Spotlight Delaware in an email that he requested the changes be made to the bond bill after hearing concerns from residents and local leaders “about DNREC’s role in the area in the future.”

Patterson also said DNREC told developers that a six-story residential project known as “Chatham Bay,” which would have brought 151 units to Yorklyn, would not be considered in its current state.

He didn’t provide a direct answer when asked if he anticipates returning that land to county authority before its April 2026 presentation to state lawmakers.

“DNREC anticipates the need for lengthy discussion with the New Castle County land use department — and almost certainly legal counsel as well — to determine how to return land use control in an orderly way, given activities that occurred during the exemption from the county process,” he said in an email.

Carlos Alejandro, a Yorklyn resident and advocate against the master plan, said in an email that he does not believe the state’s changes go far enough, though he did say that Patterson’s efforts are long overdue.

“The community of Yorklyn and our neighbors in Hockessin and Pennsylvania have been sidelined for years,” Alejandro said.

His daughter, Kira Alejandro, added that the community still intends to challenge the Auburn Valley projects because of their potential impact on local well water.

Kira argued the development plans would not adhere to New Castle County’s restrictions for the Cockeysville Water Resource Protection Area, which encompasses much of northern Delaware.

“We intend to push for answers as to why DNREC will not impose the [county’s] water resource protection restrictions on the master plan when the consequences could potentially impact everyone on well water in Yorklyn, Hockessin, and even parts of Chester County, Pa.,” Kira said in an email.

BTW, Kira stands in solidarity with Dave Carter’s push to regulate data centers.  It takes a lot to impress me after all these years.  After meeting with her last week, I can only say that I’ve rarely been so impressed with a candidate.  She’s just filed, I’ll provide links as soon as they’re available.

3.  Rep. Mara Gorman Running For Dave Sokola’s Senate Seat.  I don’t know if she had advanced notice.  There were questions about her legislative record, so I figured I’d share some of the key bills she’s sponsored in just over a year:

HB 182: Signed into law.  That’s more than a good start.

HB 154. Signed into law.

HB 142. Signed into law.

HB 150.  Out of committee.

HS1/HB 183.  Out of committee.  This is the bill requiring party primaries for special elections.

4.  Annd…, we have the first candidate to file for Mara Gorman’s House seat.  Her name is LuAnn D’Agostino, and Doug Manley from the Christina School Board is her Treasurer.  Seeing as how I knocked doors for Doug when he ran for the Board, I’m interested in the candidate.   Here’s her website.  Here’s some information on her background:

• Statewide Election Lead for Moms Demand Action

• Executive Board Member of Friends of Christina School District

• Education Portfolio Member/Chair for the League of Women Voters of Delaware Advocacy Corps

• Vice Chair of Democratic Representative District 22 and active member of RD23

• President of Cotswold Hills homeowners association and member of multiple local business and civic groups

She previously ran in RD 22 (before redistricting) in 2020, and lost to The Original Mike Smith, garnering about 37% of the vote then. 

5.  Michelle Wall, who is running as a D in the district currently held by R Kevin Hensley, has qualified for the ballot.

That’s all I’ve got this week (isn’t this enough?).

What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?

I was wrong.

The Hospital Cost Containment Board legislation is not the only bill that the leaders have decided must pass by the end of next week.

Two bills designed to give NCC tools to address inequities in the New Castle County reassessment project are on today’s Senate Agenda, and are certain to be fast-tracked in the House next week.  Karl Baker has the story here.  Oh, just one more note about that annoying mansplainer Eric Buckson.  When he pontificates, he speaks really s-l-o-w-l-y.  As if he needs to let his ‘lower-IQ brethren’ soak in what he’s trying to articulate.  Like I said, I don’t think you’ll last ten minutes. And you can bet that he’ll pontificate for longer than ten minutes.

As will Governor Matt Meyer, who will deliver the State Of The State Address.  We’ll link to it as soon as it becomes available.

Uh, no House Agenda today.

That’s a wrap.

I’m approaching today’s piece with the same ambition that the General Assembly is demonstrating for this three-week start of session: Next to none.

Other than the weakening of the Hospital Cost Review Board, which unanimously passed the Senate yesterday, I don’t see any must-pass bills on the horizon.  I believe that the General Assembly should pass the bill requiring primaries for special elections because you never know when something will happen and a special election will become necessary.  Doesn’t look like the Honorables share my sense of urgency, though.

Anyway, here’s yesterday’s Session Activity Report, for what it’s worth.  There were some pretty intriguing bills introduced yesterday.  We’ll get to them as soon as the committees get to them.

Only one bill, that of a technical nature, on today’s Senate Agenda.  As always, there’s no House Agenda on Wednesdays.  So, it’s on to today’s committee meetings. Spoiler Alert: Not much going on there either.

House Committee highlights (if I can find any):

HB 134 (Spiegelman) strengthens penalties for animal cruelty convictions.  Judiciary.

Uh, that’s it.  The ‘tell’ is that only two House committee meetings were even scheduled.

Senate Committee highlights (same caveat applies):

SB 226 (Pinkney): ‘…provides that health care facilities must permit patients who have been issued and possess a valid registry identification card for the medical use of marijuana and have a terminal illness to use medical marijuana on the health care facilities’ premises.’ Health & Social Services.

SB 228 (Cruce): ‘…provides the Office of Finance for New Castle County the authority to conduct a quality control review of a tax parcel’s new assessed value after a general reassessment’ under certain specified conditions.  This bill is clearly aimed at addressing perceived inequities with the recent reassessment.  Executive.

SB 230 (Mantzavinos): is a companion bill of sorts dealing with reassessment reviews. It ‘…defines, for purposes of this section, “county authority” as the Chief Financial Officer of the Office of Finance, the Director of the Department of Finance of Kent County, and the Finance Director of Sussex County. This Act expressly authorizes the county authority to compel the production of testimony and documentary evidence whenever a county relies upon, or defends its reliance upon, the income approach or cost comparison approaches to assess the fair market value of real property. This Act permits the enforcement of subpoenas by order of the Superior Court and permits use of the court’s contempt powers. This Act equates a corporate or business entity’s non-compliance with an order enforcing a subpoena under this section to abuse or misuse of corporate powers sufficient to permit the Attorney General to commence proceedings to revoke a corporate charter pursuant to Title 8 of the Delaware Code. Executive.

The Executive Committee will also consider nominations, including that of Jonathan Sheehan to be the new President of the State Board of Education.

I end today’s update, not with a whimper, but a shrug.

Wilmington City Council members Coby Owens (District 1), Shané Darby (District 2) and Christian Willauer (District 5) today announced a proposed legislative affordability agenda for Wilmington at a morning press conference.

Councilman Coby Owens stated that ‘our city is struggling and…many people in our city are struggling’.

Shané Darby emphasized that rent stabilization alone won’t cure the issue, but that new affordable housing initiatives must be supported. ‘A city that prioritizes luxury development over people will lose both.’

Christian Willauer said ‘no one should pay taxes on a home assessed for more than they could sell their houses for’.

The proposals below address the concerns raised by the council members.

The Agenda calls for the following:

HOMEOWNERS:

Find and fix errors in property assessments to make sure no one is being over-charged for taxes and everyone– including big developers and corporations– pays their fair share.

RENTERS:

Pass rent stabilization to limit how much rents can be increased each year.

Require new development to include units affordable to people with regular jobs.

Prevent evictions by providing rental and settlement assistance.

Bring back pre-rental inspections to make sure renters live in safe conditions.

Create a Housing Trust Fund to build more rental homes people can afford.

Had to rewrite this due to this late-breaking news:

1.  President Pro-Tem Dave Sokola Will Not Seek Reelection.  I flat-out can’t believe he’s been there for 36 years.  I really am old. I was one of the people at his very first Sunday evening kitchen campaign meetings.  Some people govern through fear, Dave governed with kindness. In my opinion, the best President Pro-Tem during and after my time in Dover.  Richard Cordrey would be #2.  Sarah McBride says it better than I ever could:

“Senator Dave Sokola is my ‘forever president pro tem.’ It was more than an honor to serve alongside Dave in the State Senate, it was also a pleasure. I’ve known Dave for much of my life. Whether I was a young volunteer, an advocate, or a colleague in the legislature, he has always been the same thoughtful and kind man to me just as he is to everyone he meets. But that’s just Dave: he is a truly good and decent person and a courageous leader. 

“From his deep passion for empowering everyone from early childhood onward to his leadership passing non-discrimination protections and marriage equality, Dave reaches to the margins of society to pull people in. And when he became president pro tem at the start of my time in the State Senate, I had a front row seat to Dave pushing past other’s skepticism and resistance to action in order to deliver a bold agenda for Delaware: a $15 minimum wage, historic investments in high-need schools, paid family and medical leave, strong gun safety and reproductive freedom protections, the list goes on. He made the Delaware State Senate a laboratory of ideas and an engine of action for Delaware.

“Our State of Neighbors is stronger, better, and kinder because of Dave Sokola. And so, too, am I for having the chance to serve alongside him.

“Congratulations on a well-deserved retirement, Dave, and thank you for your decades of service to Delaware!”

2.  D Files Committee In NCC District 3.  Whether or not Janet Kilpatrick decides to unretire, she will face a strong opponent.  Dyani DeSantis has filed her committee for the race.  I have yet to meet her but (a) I’ve heard positive things; and (b) I will be meeting her shortly.  Oh, and there’s (c): If Janet Kilpatrick runs, Dyani will be running against Janet Kilpatrick.  I’ll provide more info as it becomes available.

3.  D Nisha Lodhavia Files For SD 15.  The seat being vacated by R Dave Lawson, an R who truly deserves the ‘Rethug’ label.  Here’s a good bio of her:

Nisha Lodhavia is a retired professor of epidemiology and biostatistics with more than 25 years of experience teaching and mentoring students. A committed community advocate, she has held extensive volunteer leadership roles in education and healthcare access. She currently serves as a Trustee at the University of Delaware, sits on the board of Easterseals Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and is a member of the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame Committee, appointed in 2023 by then-Governor John Carney. In 2024, he also appointed her to the Delaware State Board of Education.

Lodhavia is especially proud of founding the Junior Advisory Board (JAB) of the Hope Medical Dental Clinic, a group of high school students advocating for under-served and uninsured communities. Under her mentorship, the JAB developed its inaugural bylaws, mission and vision, budget, and a series of impactful fundraisers that have cultivated a lasting commitment to community engagement. She continues to advise students on college and medical school admissions, helping them navigate the process and build strong, strategic applications.

R Emily Thompson, who we profiled last week, has, like Lodhavia, qualified for the ballot.

4.  Dr. Rob Bahnsen (D-RD 12) Is On The Ballot.  RD 12, which encompasses part of Wilmington, then moves northward into Talleyville and adjacent environs, is currently represented by Musk/Zuckerberg apologist Krista Griffith.  I’ve heard reports that Bahnsen is a door-knocking demon.  Plus, word on the street is that he’s raised a (caution: technical term ahead) shit-ton of money.   This may well be the most-likely flip from a Delaware Way insider to a progressive of the cycle.

5.  At Least A Two-Way R Primary In RD 41.  Douglas Conaway and Jacki Slonin have qualified for the ballot.   Anybody heard from John Atkins lately?  Which reminds me, is Atkins even eligible to run based on his law-breaking?  That, BTW, is a serious question.  After all, I consider strangulation a serious offense.  Don’t you?   Hmmm, The Suxco Strangler.  Has a nice ring to it.

6.  One Helena Creamer Has Filed In Race To Succeed Penrose Hollins On County Council As a D.  Curtis Linton has already filed, Jason Hoover is running, there have been other names floated as well.  Creamer seems well-qualified:

She currently serves as Revenue Manager for the City of Wilmington, where she manages complex financial operations and ensures transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of public funds. Her career reflects a results-driven approach grounded in integrity and sound governance.

Beyond government, Helena is the Senior Leader of Cathedral of Fresh Fire, Inc., where she continues a legacy of service as her mother’s successor. Through this role, she has led with compassion and vision; supporting families, strengthening neighborhoods, and responding directly to community needs.

Helena is a proud graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing, providing her with the strategic insight and fiscal expertise needed to advance smart, sustainable policies.

7.  Shané Darby Files In RD 1.  Like clockwork, Rethug Bryan Shupe recycles an anti-police message that Darby posted in 2021.  Uh, Shupe didn’t do this on his own.  The Rethugs aren’t winning this seat.  You can look at the Pete Schwartzkopfs and the Franklin Cookes to understand where this comes from and why it is coming out now.  Schwartzkopf and Cooke conspired together to kill LEOBOR reform back in, not coincidentally, 2021 and 2022.  The cops who have fought reform ever since they got carte blanche to abuse the law have seized upon the death of Trooper Snook to go after Darby.  To which I say, that’s all the more reason to support her.  When Darby’s biggest enemies are the most blatant practitioners of Delaware Way corruption, you know why they fear her election. BTW, we don’t yet know if incumbent Nnamdi Chukwuocha will seek reelection.

8.  Councilman Dave Carter Makes The Case For His Reelection.  I’m convinced:

In the upcoming primary election for New Castle County Council District 6, to be held on September 15, 2006, my opponent has positioned himself as “the Data Center Guy,” promoting large-scale data center development above all else while brushing aside legitimate concerns from residents about traffic congestion, electric grid strain, rising electric costs, noise, emergency service capacity, and the permanent changes these projects impose on our communities.

I respect organized labor and support good-paying jobs. But no single developer, industry, construction union, or national funder should dictate land-use policy, and no community should be told to accept lasting harm so others can profit and move on.

That’s why I have never accepted campaign money from development interests, and never will. These decisions must remain accountable to residents, not to those seeking development approvals.

This election will decide whether New Castle County continues down a path of responsible, evidence-based development, or whether outside money and special interests, backing a candidate focused on data centers above all else, succeed in overriding community voices.

Where do you donate, you ask?  Right here.

His primary opponent, the data center guy, has also filed.  Christopher Muntz.  A Maravelias puppet.

9.  Filings This Week:  R Mark Pugh (Candidate-SD 14); Senator Brian Pettyjohn (R-SD 19);  Rep. Valerie Jones Giltner (R-RD 37);  Sussex County Councilman John Rieley (R-District 5).

That’s all I’ve got this week.  What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?

The big news, such as it is, took place in the committee meetings yesterday.  I also guess it’s worth noting that SB 27 (Brown), which creates the Office Of New Americans, unanimously passed the Senate.  Perhaps of interest only to me is that an amendment was added to the bill calling for a Sunset review of the agency after its first three years.  Two Democrats, however, voted against the amendment–Dan Cruce and Ray Seigfried.  My theory is that both are struggling to define themselves in advance of serious primary challenges, and they each decided that this might somehow help them do so.  Spoiler Alert: It didn’t.  I mean, there’s nothing wrong with a Sunset review after three years to see what changes might be needed.

Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report.

HS1/HB183 (Gorman), which democratizes the Special Election process, cleared the Elections & Government Affairs Committee yesterday.  I would love to see this pass both houses before the JFC recess.  Why?  Because you never know when a special election will be needed.  If something were to happen in the next few weeks, we would have a rerun of the Cruce/Seigfried botches if this new legislation is not in place. 

HB 151 (Gorman), which ‘prohibits the operation of private detention facilities in the State of Delaware’, also cleared committee.

Little of note on today’s House Agenda.  HB 224 (K. Johnson) ‘authorizes licensed Physician Assistants (PA) in Delaware to pronounce death and to complete a medical certification of death’.  Uh, that’s it for notable.

Today’s Senate Agenda features SB 210 (Hansen), which ‘amends the definition of “Community-owned energy generating facility” in Title 26 of the Delaware Code, § 1001(5) by adding the requirement that the point of interconnection be located in the service area of a utility under the regulation of the Public Service Commission.’  When in doubt, I look to the bill’s sponsors.  Both Eric Morrison and Frank Burns are on the bill, so it’s probably a good bill.  The Senate will also consider several nominations.

See ya next week.

There were no surprises in either the House or Senate today.  The House unanimously passed SB 106 (Buckson), which requires school districts to craft cell phone policies for students. Because the bill didn’t pass the House last year, an amendment changing the effective date was added to the bill.  The Senate will no doubt pass it in the next day or so.

Time for a brief detour:  I’m pretty sure that Buckson has aspirations beyond the General Assembly.  He has positioned himself as a more traditional R as opposed to an RWNJ naysayer.  Yes, I find his tendency to pontificate at length on every issue annoying.  Very annoying, in fact.  However, I think that, if the Rethuglican Party wants to once again become competitive in Delaware (and to shed the monicker ‘Rethuglican’), they’ll need to move in the direction that Buckson is taking.  Spoiler Alert:  I don’t think they will.

One more example of what Buckson is doing can be found in the roll call on SB 26 (Brown), a pro-labor bill.  I had expected a straight party line vote.  But Buckson voted with the D’s, the only R to do so.  The bill passed, 16-5.

Speaking of RWNJ naysayers, the Senate rejected a bubble-headed SCR from Sen. Richardson calling for a national constitutional covention.  An excerpt should give you a taste:

WHEREAS, the Founders of our Constitution empowered State Legislators to be guardians of liberty against future abuses of power by the federal government; and

WHEREAS, the federal government has created a crushing national debt through improper and imprudent spending; and

WHEREAS, the federal government has invaded the legitimate roles of the states through the manipulative process of federal mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent; and

WHEREAS, the federal government has ceased to live under a proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United States; and

WHEREAS, it is the solemn duty of the States to protect the liberty of our people – particularly for the generations to come – by proposing Amendments to the Constitution of the United States through a Convention of the States under Article V for the purpose of restraining these and related abuses of power…

Here’s the entire Session Activity Report from yesterday.

Let’s take a look at today’s scheduled committee highlights, starting with the House:

Hopefully HS1/HB 183 (Gorman) is ready for prime time. The bill would essentially require primaries to select candidates for special elections, thus ending the anti-democratic process that gave us Rehoboth’s Dan Cruce and Christiana Care’s Ray Siegfried.  Two R’s, Buckson and the Original Michael Smith, are on the bill.  Not that many D sponsors, though.  I hereby call on Democratic State Chair Evelyn Brady to endorse this bill.  BTW, very happy to see Rep. Alonna Berry, who was a beneficiary of the current system, on the bill as a sponsor.  Elections & Government Affairs.

HB 151 (Gorman) ‘prohibits the operation of private detention facilities in the State of Delaware’.  Good.  I’d personally like to see either this bill or another bill prohibit Delaware from transferring prisoners to private detention facilities in other states.  You know, like John Carney, with the encouragement of then-Corrections Czar Claire DeMatteis,  did when he was Governor.  Judiciary.

HB 141 (K. Williams): ‘ This Act directs the Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS) to develop a Firearm Responsibilities Notice for distribution to gun purchasers to ensure dissemination of important information relating to safe and lawful handling of firearms…The purpose of the Firearm Responsibilities Notice is to deter straw purchases and other illegal transfer of firearms, to ensure awareness of Delaware’s gun safety laws, and to increase the reporting of lost or stolen firearms’.  Judiciary.

HB 201 (K. Williams):  ‘(S)trengthens essential protections for victims of human trafficking by removing practical barriers that prevent victims from getting convictions or juvenile delinquency adjudications obtained as a result of being a victim of human trafficking vacated and the related criminal or juvenile records expunged’.  Judiciary.

Today’s Senate Committee highlights:

SB 210 (Hansen) ‘…amends the definition of “Community-owned energy generating facility”…by adding the requirement that the point of interconnection be located in the service area of a utility under the regulation of the Public Service Commission.  Environment, Energy & Transportation.

SB 213 (Townsend) is the so-called ‘compromise’ between the State of Delaware and Christiana Care.   Resulting, of course, in far less accountability for Christiana Care. I guess that means that they will continue to provide less care for the needy while increasing their margins.  Executive.

The Executive Committee will also consider several appointments and reappointments.

As (almost) always, the House has no agenda today, as Wednesdays are reserved for committee meetings.  Even when not many committees are meeting.  The Senate Agenda features one notable bill as well as a few nominations to consider.  The one notable bill:

SB 17 (Brown): ‘… establishes the Office of New Americans to help improve the lives and economic prosperity of new Americans who come to Delaware and of all Delawareans generally.’

One final note before I close out:  It’s generally pretty rare to have nine full session days scheduled in January.  However, the calendar (and the fact that this is the second year of this session) has granted us that dubious honor this year.  Let’s see if work expands to fill time allotted.

See you tomorrow.

This is the hors d’oeuvre portion of the legislative session–in for just three weeks, get those few ‘must-pass’ bills done by the end of the month, listen to the Governor’s State Of The State Address, then clear out for six weeks of Joint Finance Committee hearings.  We’ll soon learn what those ‘must-pass’ bills are.  There’s usually a mini-budget bill and a mini-bond bill where some funds get reallocated.

Let’s see what’s on today’s docket.

Today’s House Agenda contains one, and only one, bill–SB 106 (Buckson), which ‘requires each school district and charter school to adopt a policy, with educator input, about cell phone use by students during school hours.’  The bill passed the Senate unanimously.  Look for a similar result in the House.

Today’s Senate Agenda features SB 26 (Brown), which is a pro-labor bill, that ‘changes the law to allow an employee who is subject to a labor dispute, other than a lockout, to collect unemployment benefits after a 2-week waiting period, if the employee meets all the eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits, including being able and available for work and completing weekly job requirements.’  Going out on a limb here–look for all D’s to vote yes, all R’s to vote no. 

The agenda also features a bill that ‘clarifies that the law-enforcement agency practice of purchasing firearms for that agency’s law-enforcement officers for use by the officers in their official duties is exempted from the requirements under our State’s permit to purchase firearms laws’.  One hopes that ICE thugs aren’t exempt from permit to purchase. (Just kidding, they’re not.)

For newbies and forgetful ‘oldies’ to this feature, Wednesdays in the House are set aside for committee meetings.  However, we have one committee meeting today, and it features what might well become my favorite bill (to make fun of) for the entire year.  I shall call it the ‘Are We Human, Or Are We Doctor?’ Act Of 2026.  A classic solution-in-search-of-a-problem bill, sponsored by  Speaker Mimi Minor-Brown.

HB 191 ‘clarifies that a nonhuman entity, including an agent powered by AI, may not be licensed as a professional nurse, APRN, practical nurse, physician, or physician assistant. It further clarifies that a nonhuman entity may not use any of the foregoing professional titles’.

Who will speak for the discriminated-against nonhumans?  Not even sure Tom Neuberger would take that case.  (Betcha that ‘The Honorable’ Ronald G. Poliquin would, though.)  What nonhuman would be the aggrieved party in such a legal action?

One reason why I prefer the second session of a General Assembly over the first is b/c we’re not starting over.  Meaning, we have a decent slate of committee meetings scheduled for Wednesday.  A couple of intriguing bills await.  Be back tomorrow with a preview.  And, of course, a Post-Game Wrap-Up.

“We are kings of our bikes. So, we are again really lucky to live in Rehoboth, when we park a car, we have to get back into the car. We can hop on our bikes and our ritual is that we are always biking from our home to L(ewe)s. We do a little bit of walking around, a little bit of margarita, a little bit of good food – there’s amazing food then bike right back. So the ritual, on our bikes, every chance we can, any place we can go, and eliminate the cars.”–Dan Cruce.

1. R State Senator David Lawson Announces Retirement.  (Hmmm, does that leave Franklin Cooke as the only ex-cop left in the General Assembly?) Ex-cop, ex(?)- gun range owner won’t seek reelection.  We’ll likely find out if anybody is an improvement on Lawson.  The district is almost certain to remain in Republican hands.  Back in 2020, D Jaci Hugg did about as well as you could expect from a D challenger in the 15th SD–she garnered about 45% of the vote against Lawson.  The district became more Republican following the 2022 redistricting, and it made sense to do so in order to shore up adjacent districts that were more hospitable to Democrats.  The current registration numbers in the western Kent County district are: 11,152 D; 14,251 R; 14,350 I.

Annnd–just like that, one Emily Thompson has filed for that SD 15 seat.  Yes, she’s a Republican.  Here is the statement announcing her candidacy:

Family, friends, and neighbors,

I am a lifelong resident of Delaware’s 15th Senate District, where my family has lived, worked, and built small businesses for generations. This community shaped my values, strengthened my commitment to service, and has always been home. After deep reflection and many meaningful conversations, I have officially filed to be a candidate for the Delaware State Senate in District 15, motivated by a deep belief in our community and a commitment to building a stronger future for our families.

I’m running to serve our community with honesty, common sense, and a deep respect for the people who make Delaware strong. That means accountability in government spending, protecting family farms and small businesses, and strengthening education and early support so families get help when it matters most.

I want to share something important as I make this announcement. Senator Dave Lawson, who has faithfully served this district for many years, has become a mentor and a dear friend to me. I have learned so much from his example of service, integrity, and dedication to this community. It is my sincere hope to serve District 15 in the same thoughtful, committed way he has, and to honor the leadership legacy he has built.

Over the coming weeks, I look forward to listening, learning, and sharing more about how we can move Delaware forward together. I’m grateful for your support and excited about what we can accomplish together.

At first glance, potentially an upgrade over Lawson.

2. Janet Kilpatrick Reconsidering Retirement?  I remain skeptical, but I’ve heard it from two different sources.  What we need is a Democrat who will stand against the mega-data centers.  Ain’t a lot of Tim Sheldon’s construction trades voters in that Hockessin/Greenville councilmanic district.  That issue alone should be enough to retire Kilpatrick, one way or another.  All we need now is a credible candidate…

3. El Somnambulo Surfs The Campaign Finance Reports So That You Don’t Have To.  This week’s highlights, according to me:

Colleen Davis has spent her remaining campaign funds.

Kids, check out the report from Sheet Metal Workers Local 19.  They report total receipts of $51,099.90 for the year, and, get this, allegedly without a single donation above $100.   I smell shenanigans.  BTW, probably a misprint, but a $5000 contribution went to “House Of Democrats”.  I love stuff like this.  Although a contribution to “3-D House Of Stewardesses” would have been cooler.  Might have even earned the fellas at the Sheet Metal Lodge those complimentary 3-D glasses.

Claire Snyder-Hall raised over $54 K this year, almost all of it from within her district.  One of the healthiest reports I’ve seen so far.

R Mark Pugh, who is seeking a rematch with Sen. Kyra Hoffner in SD 14, raised $19K this year.  A respectable amount, which is to be expected, as he came very close last time and is not currently facing any primary opposition.  I suspect that Hoffner may report an even larger war chest.  This could be one of the most competitive races of the cycle.

That’s all I’ve got this week.  What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?