Because It’s Irresponsible Not To…

Filed in National by on October 28, 2009

We’ve spent a lot of time discussing the Castle/Biden race but what about the other big race in Delaware – the U.S. House race. More specifically – who is the shallow bench going to sacrifice run against John Carney? Let’s examine the bench. First, here are the elected Republican officials:

State Auditor Tom Wagner
Senator Joe Booth
Senator Cathy Cloutier
Senator Liane Sorenson
Senator Dori Connor
Senator Colin Bonini
Senator F. Gary Simpson
Representative Don Blakey
Representative George Carey
Representative Richard “Dick” Cathcart
Representative Gerald Hocker
Representative Deborah Hudson
Representative Ruth Briggs King
Representative Thomas Kovach
Representative Greg Lavelle
Representative Biff Lee
Representative Nick Manolakos
Representative Joe Miro
Representative William Oberle
Representative Bobby Outten
Representative Mike Ramone
Representative Danny Short
Representative Pam Thornburg
Representative David Wilson

Recent officeholders:
Charlie Copeland
Others?

Perennial candidates:
Mike Protack
Christine O’Donnell

Others mentioned:
Colm Connolly

Who among this group do you think will take the plunge? Who’s ruled out? Who’s missing?

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Opinionated chemist, troublemaker, blogger on national and Delaware politics.

Comments (20)

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  1. I think it would be intriguing if someone like Cathy Cloutier or Dori Connor decided to get in the race. I doubt Wagner would do it, despite being the only statewide elected official other than Castle. Do you think his name recognition is high enough?

  2. Dave M. says:

    Bonini is out. Word is he has his heart set on Treasurer.

  3. nemski says:

    Dave M, that’s what the Dover Post says. See our story Jones-Potter To Run For State Treasurer that was just posted.

  4. Cathy Cloutier will be lucky to get reelected to the State Senate. She defines the term ‘backbencher’ and really has no strong team of political operatives around her. The ‘idea of Cathy Cloutier’ is far more appealing than the ‘reality of Cathy Cloutier’. Liane Sorenson, for example, has been a much more effective Senator.

    Wagner’s too lazy to do the job he has now.

    Dori Connor’s too smart to do this. Besides, she has always survived due to union backing in her strongly-D district. She’s not about to take them on vs Carney.

  5. RSmitty says:

    Dave Burris. 😀

    OK, seriously, they got me back and it’s me. Now that I have you all under my spell, the evil plan will be hatched! 😈 HA-HA-HA-HAAAAAA! Crap. I ruined it. Nevermind. It’s Copeland, then.

    My un-informed guess is Copeland. He has state-wide name recognition and presents the least risks among the heavier hitters of the list (meaning a state-seat wouldn’t be put into an open-play as a result).

    Of course, we all have forgotten about Kilroy who announced a couple of weeks ago. (link added after-edit)

  6. Liane Sorenson would be interesting.

    It sounds to me like Cloutier would have nothing to lose. A big plus for her (IMO) is that she’s from NCCo, where most of the votes come from.

  7. When Kilroy files paperwork, then we’ll know if that’s for real.

  8. UI-Cloutier would have plenty to lose. She’s up for reelection. She has no other job, or didn’t the last time I checked. She’s always floated around as sort-of an independent, so she doesn’t have strong party ties to take care of her. She is mostly uninformed on even the basic issues and would be an embarassment. Trust me on this one–she’d be a disaster. Which is why it’d be kinda cool if she ran.

    And, lest you’ve already forgotten El Somnambulo’s magnum opus on Sen. Cloutier, here it is in all its original glory:

    http://delawareliberal.net//2009/04/24/bulos-top-10-2010-republican-targets-2/

  9. RSmitty says:

    FWIW, if you haven’t read Kilroy’s “campaign announcement,” please do (follow link in my previous comment). It’s so trademark-Kilroy and will give you a good smile on an otherwise dreary day (unless you like this weather, then you will be double-happy fun fun family smile).

  10. anon says:

    Copeland is making a mess of things on his blog. He is a deather and a tea-partier. He is making a habit of pointing fingers at Dems on issues that he himself was complicit in. So I expect that when you see him delete his blog, that will be the tip-off that he is running.

  11. Good point, anon. We’ll have to make sure to get screen shots of some of the stuff he’s put up.

  12. anon says:

    Plus, I am being kind to Charlie by not holding him accountable for the far right ramblings of his Wack Pack co-bloggers.

  13. lizard says:

    two thoughts (pure speculation, no insider info)

    1) has Alan Levin had enough Econ Dev success to step down in January and run for congress?

    2) I suspect that we will see a few names start to circulate from outside the usual suspects/insiders list. Mid 50’s execs who have taken early retirement package (MBNA, BofA, ING, Chrysler, GM) or somone who sold their business before the bust and is looking for new challenges.

  14. Brooke says:

    I don’t think Cathy will run. I think Charlie would appeal to the National GOP, he’s telegenic. So part of that depends on who is paying for it. We know Mike likes Kovach.
    So I think we might be looking at new blood, of some kind.

    Of course, there’s always Bill Lee. 😉

  15. Delaware Patriot says:

    Yes, Bill Lee pretty much says it all. The GOP in de is a shadow of what is needed to win. All the energy will go to Castle unfortunately. No one else will matter at all.

    The list of possibles is really two-Copeland or Protack. Both have the name recognition. Copelnad got beat pretty badly after he left his very Republican senate seat and his statewide weakness showed. He is okay with the elites of the GOP but not the rest of the state. Protack has beaten his head against the GOP wall and he has a lot name recognition. His losses were in primaries against a party which could not win anything. ODonnel cost him the win in 2006. I doubt if he wants to do it given the sad state of the GOP.

    Cloutier, no. Kovach, no way. Lavelle,no way.

  16. It could very well be a Jim Krapf/B. Gary Scott kind of candidacy. Someone with business ties but outside the normal party realm. Maybe CRI’s ‘non-partisan’ Jim Ursomarso will take another run at Carney as a representative of a ‘major political party’.

  17. Suzanne says:

    “I doubt if he wants to do it given the sad state of the GOP.”

    Protack missing a chance to run for office – we have yet to see that day…

  18. RSmitty says:

    I just love how all of the “I am not him” or “I don’t know Mike” anonymous commenters always point out that of no cuplability of his (Mike’s) own, he always comes up short.

    I don’t think there is a wall that I haven’t banged my head on, in regard to these trolls.

  19. lizard says:

    Protack has announced he is running for County Council.

    Third District, Tansey’s seat.

  20. anon says:

    “Protack has announced he is running for County Council.”

    Another quixotic run which will see him handily defeated in a Republican primary.