Election 2014: Delaware’s Most Vulnerable Incumbents
I’m El Somnambulo, and I’m a listaholic.
Admit it: So are you.
Bearing in mind that incumbents need viable challengers in order to be vulnerable, here is a list of those with at least reason to be worried:
State Auditor Tom Wagner(R): A do-nothing R in an increasingly D state. Here’s the problem. If a do-nothing R is replaced by a do-nothing D, does it really make any difference? No doubt it does to Tom Wagner. But not to Patrick Harker or Lonnie George. Which is my point. And the problem.
State Treasurer Chip Flowers(D): While the R’s talk hopefully, and, IMHO, delusionally, about defeating him, I suspect that any real challenge would come from the Democrats. We’ll likely know in 6 months or so whether there will be a party-backed challenger. We might as well get used to Flowers being a polarizing figure by choice. Which would be fine if it was principle, not ego, driving that train.
State Senator Greg Lavelle (R-4th SD): Got 50.8% against Michael Katz. Probably less vulnerable this time, but he’s got two more years of anti-gay and pro-gun votes on his record. Will a credible challenger emerge?
I know that people expect me to have Ernesto Lopez on this list, but I don’t see him as particularly vulnerable. Feel free to make a case.
State Rep. Charles Potter (D-1st RD): He’d be near the top of the list if a credible challenger was already out there. Benefited greatly by the coattails (and machine) of Dennis P. Williams and Tom Gordon last time. Neither are on the ballot in 2014. He has cast some major ‘scratch your head’ votes for his district. And he keeps getting in the papers for the wrong reasons. Not respected in the caucus at all. Plus, should Wilmington voters decide that Dennis P. is not ‘all that’ as mayor, they may take it out on the family who most benefited by his largesse.
State Rep. Dennis E. Williams (D-10th RD): As close to ‘dead man walking’ in a political sense as anyone running for reelection. He betrayed many of his House supporters by flipping on the leadership vote, he has a primary opponent, Sean Matthews, who got 47.2% of the vote against him in 2012, and he’s still one of the least visible legislators around. When you’re that vulnerable, and you have former friends who are now motivated to defeat you, you’re close to outtahere.
State Rep. Jeffrey Spiegelman (R-11th RD): Won a razor-thin margin vs. Lynne Newlin in 2012 with 50.3% of the vote. He has lost respect from both R’s and D’s, in contrast to another freshman Rep., Stephen Smyk. You rarely hear the terms ‘rude’ and ‘boorish’ when it comes to elected officials, but you do here. You also have a 1400 D registration plurality in this district centered in SW NCC and NW Kent County.
State Rep. Deborah Hudson (R-12th RD): Talk on the street is that she’s got a legit R primary challenger. When you’ve run unopposed as long as Hudson has (meaning you haven’t run at all), and when you’re faced with a (presumably) younger challenger, it’s tough to scrape the rust off your own knees, much less your campaign machinery.
State Rep. Valerie Longhurst (D-15th RD): A name on the ballot got 42% of the vote over this lightning-rod of a representative. Tells me that a serious primary challenger with some support (perhaps labor, for example, resents her assistance in killing minimum wage legislation) can beat her.
State Rep. William ‘Bobby’ Outten (R-30th RD): Well, this one has come out of nowhere. Outten has been very popular. However, an R-turned-D named Jonathan Gallo has already announced a challenge in this Harrington area district. Here’s where it gets interesting. In a News-Journal article, Outten basically says that he was considering retirement and that he likely would have endorsed Gallo–had he remained an R. Gallo, 38, appears to have ‘the profile’:
“I’ve been a farmer, I’ve been in construction; I’ve also been a finance professional, a business leader, as well as a firefighter. (He’s also been a floor wax and a dessert topping.) That diverse background will enable me to be successful,” he said. “I really respect Bobby and I think he’s done a good job representing the district, but he’s coming up on 10 years and I feel I’ll be able to represent the district and provide a little bit more service.”
Outten is the strong favorite here, but the D’s look to be building a good bench in Kent County. Methinks Dave Lawson will disappear from the Senate in 2016.
State Rep. Andria Bennett (D-32nd RD): If there really is a God (I know, I know, there isn’t), then we’ll be treated to the husband vs. wife primary of our dreams: former Rep. Brad Bennett vs. his current wife (and pathetic state rep) Andria Bennett. I know I don’t speak for my colleagues. However, were this contest to come to fruition, I’d support us hiring a psychiatrist and/or family counselor to provide analysis. The smarmier the better. Failing that, I’ll invent one. Working monicker: Dr. Oedipus Freud. Surely you can do better than that.
State Rep. Ruth Briggs King (R-37th RD): She’s even lost face with Sussex County R’s, who selected the unknown Nelly Jordan over her for Party Vice-Chair. And she is justifiably despised by any D’s who, for example, support the rights of people living in manufactured homes communities. She also may well face a strong candidate who started late last time. Elizabeth McGinn got 45.2% against RBK despite a truncated campaign. And a possible R primary challenger. RBK’s still the favorite, but she is vulnerable.
Rep. John Atkins (D-41st RD): Tongues wagged at Atkins’ 69-vote margin over developer/despoiler Richard Collins. (Note: I was trying to make a tawdry joke here. Homey don’t do ‘tongues wagged’. Celia’s got the copyright on that. Although it’d be fun to see a group try to break the Guinness World Record for Tongue-Wagging. But, I digress.) Didn’t see that coming. Who knows what next year will bring. If there’s a rematch, there’s only one guarantee: The 41st District will be represented by someone who is unfit for public office. Come to think of it, that’s pretty much an ironclad guarantee in any event.
Sussex County Sheriff Jeff Christopher (R): The ‘unfit for public office’ segue is both cheap and easy. And true. Like Chip Flowers, Christopher has spent his term claiming that the law is what he thinks it is, not what it is. As a result, both try to carry out duties that they don’t have. I will leave any predictions about Christopher’s future to our downstate spies. I have no earthly idea. Except that laughs at Christopher’s expense will be had by many.
Speaking of laughs, Al Mascitti and I will discuss this, and various other assorted buffoonery, on the Al Show today, 10 am to 12 noon, WDEL 1150 on your AM dial, or right here.
OK, all you spies out ‘in the field’. Turn this thread into Rumor Central. What do you hear? Where am I totally off base? What am I missing? Your turn.
Tags: Andria Bennett, Chip Flowers, Delaware elections 2014, El Somnambulo, Featured, Greg Lavelle, Jeffrey Spiegelman, Rep. Bobby Outten, Rep. Charles Potter, Rep. Deborah Hudson, Rep. Dennis E. Williams, Rep. John Atkins, Rep. Val Longhurst, Ruth Briggs King, Sheriff Jeff Christopher, Steve Tanzer Delaware, Tom Wagner
what’s the word on Jaques? Isn’t he up again?
I think Lopez is vulnerable to a primary challenge, and I think he will be challenged again by the Dems since this is his first reelection, but I agree, I think if he gets to the general, he will win.
Regarding Dennis E. Williams, I have to disagree with you. I think he is very visible. I just saw him at the PDD event last Thursday, and I have seen him all over the county as other yearly events. Plus, Dennis has proved to me that he is a survivor in election after election. So I am giving him the benefit of the doubt in both the primary and general.
PDD meetings are one thing. Civic association meetings in the district are quite another.
As to Jaques, I don’t see him as vulnerable despite the charter schools bill. He seems popular in his district, and I’ll need to see a legit flesh and blood challenger before I change my mind.
Election night in November 2014 may bring some surprises in Sussex County. The Democrats are united for the first time in decades and are organized and starting early. Half the positions up already have candidates. The Sussex Republican party is more divided then ever-split between a right wing and an ever “righter” wing. They will have serious primary fights from sheriff to county council on up.
Senator Lopez is being attacked from his right; he has dissapointed his moderate base and alienated the left. He has a strong and already organized Democratic opponent. He has a challenge.
There are one or even two Sussex legislators who are thinking of retiring. Both seats are competitive. There are two Republican incumbent House members who won close races in 2012 against Democrats who started late. This year the Democrats in both districts are organized and building for the race.
The Republicans are in danger of losing control of County Council as their likely nominees are vulnerable and flawed. The Republicans will have to defend or run away from their incumbent Sheriff. They are likely to lose that position to a Democrat, just as they did in 2006 when then-Sheriff Reed also put himself above the law, as Christopher is doing now.
as Chair of the Sussex County Democratic Party, I am excited by our prospects in 2014.
If I were a Delaware insider who depended on the continued existence of a Do-nothing State Auditor, I believe I’d prefer him to be an R rather than a D.
The argument
1. Many of said insiders are Ds and are profiting quite well from do-nothingism.
2. It works well to be able to criticize a guy in the other party for allowing all this corruption to exist.
3. If a D got elected Auditor (and, God forbid, a progressive D), s/he would presumably feel some obligation to actually go after somebody or something, which would be … not just embarrassing but downright inconvenient.
4. This would force the powers that be (Democratic) to turn the D Auditor into Chip Flowers and neuter the post so that they could keep on with business as usual.
Better just to leave it in R hands and wring your hands piously.
“Better just to leave it in R hands and wring your hands piously.”
Exactly. The way the D party sat out Wagners last re-election was staggering, like so many other elections we have here in Delaware. Seems like the word goes out, checkbooks close, party acts dumb, problem goes away. Insurance Commissioner race comes to mind.
Chip upsetting the apple cart? More power to him. Please do show me a politician who isn’t into for himself in some way shape or form and doesn’t have an ego.
Last I heard (from a totally 100% reliable source) there is currently no D candidate for Sheriff, nor anyone known to want to run, so we’re going to be very much at a disadvantage if we don’t get a strong D ready for the race. The frothing extremists on the R side wanting a powerful Sheriff won’t give up easily. Hopefully the Supreme Court Justices of Delaware will de-fang the Sussex Sheriff once and for all, so if he is re-elected, he will be in no position continue his crusade to be the Supreme Law Enforcement Commander of Sussex over the FBI, the State Police, maybe even the Army and Navy!
Thanks, like I said, you can’t beat somebody with nobody.
And, if that’s what the Sussex GOP wants, it’s just another step along the Rethugs’ road to planned political obsolescence.
There are a number of Democrats thinking of running for Sheriff. There is even one Republican talking about switching parties to run.
Mitch: You talked about candidates who have committed to run. I’ve seen a name tied to the Lopez race. A ‘strong and already organized Democratic opponent’, according to your post. Can you provide us some info on this candidate?
Also, care to mention any names and info about the other candidates?
Lopez is already facing a Dem challenge from Claire Snyder-Hall.
Mitch: There are always lots of Ds who think about running, then never jump in. How is this year any different? Does any of the thinkers support abolishing the sheriff’s office or the other useless row offices?
The two council seats open are Cole and Phillips. I don’t see either running again, so you have a real shot at this. When will the Ds announce and start kicking ass? And don’t underestimate Parrish for Cole’s seat.
Well, assuming that this is who we’re talking about…:
http://www.opednews.com/author/author71168.html
she’s a great progressive.
Whether she’s electable in Sussex County, that remains to be seen.
Portland, yes. Sussex County? Uh, not so much, IMHO.
However, she’s certainly someone I’d love to see in public office.
http://clairefordelaware.com/
She’s also gay, which means a repeat of the smears from last year’s House race.
Well, she’s certainly a candidate who DL would like to interview. Thanks for the link.
BTW, love the Rosie the Riveter reference.
It is not my place to announce who is thinking about running. The difference between this year and the past in Sussex is that we are actively recruiting candidates the year BEFORE the election. My goals are to have candidates in place for all the offices that we are targeting-and do to so in 2013. A major problem in the past is that candidates were not recruited until into the election year. That meant they had to spend precious months building a campaign team, raising money and getting to understand the issues that matter to voters. Then they had to campaign.
Once I have candidates in place, it is up to them to decide when to announce.
Claire Snyder-Hall has formed her finance committee and has filed that paperwork. She is raising money and getting around. She is well qualified-she is progressive, educated (PhD), great communicative skills ( publisged writer and college professor), politically involved ( 14th RD Chair) and alreadhy known to key contituencies-she was working for the Manufactured Homeowners when no one though a bill could pass. She is a great candidate for the 6th Senate District.
We have other candidates about to file their finance committees. They will do so and roll out their campaigns on their own schedule.
As to eliminating row offices on the county and state level, there is much merit. However, as long as those offices exist, it is the job of the poliical parties to field qualified candidates. If you know any qualified individuals interested in running for office in Sussex, pass them my way- judgemitch@aol.com
Silly me. I agree that it’s not the job of the Chair to float names of people who are thinking of running.
Those who are committed to running…one would think that a county chair would be shouting those names to the rafters.
But, what do I know? Guess political boilerplate will have to do.
Silly me.
I support Mitch’s opinion in this. I have spoken to VERY strong candidates that have simply not shown their hand yet.
They have formed committees and have been quietly exploring options……they have been meeting one – on- ones and looking for support ……..I can think of a few conversations I have had in the past 6 months.
When they announce, they will announce or not. I will respect their option to “out” themselves and Mitch is doing the same.
But , if this crop goes for it, I will be smiling for quite a few months- and working my butt off too.
The Sussex GOP is too dysfunctional to get out of its own way. I do not suggest we underestimate them, but I know MANY Republicans that are not switching parties unless there is an interesting primary……lol. But they are also not going to vote R?……I even know some Dems who are so desperate to get rid of the Sheriff of Nuttingham, that they are registering as republicans just to vote in that primary and then switching back to D or I.
The IPod is a laughing stock a veritable buffet of comedic material…..as some me said, the land of misfit toys
It’s gonna get interesting………
As dysfunctional as the Sussex GOP is, they still won. A lot.
Hope Claire gets more support than she gave in the Senate race.
Forgive my skepticism, but running a quiet campaign – or worse, just talking about it in Democratic circles in Sussex County – doesn’t win elections. Snyder-Hall and Gallo have the right idea. Others should be soon following in their footsteps.
“There are a number of Democrats thinking about running for sheriff.” Well, I am thinking about how nice it would be to have lunch with the Queen of England. Thinking about it doesn’t get it done. Every day the D slot is empty is a day loss of opportunity. Every day the current Sheriff is raising more money, recruiting more supporters, and though some of you think he’s easily beatable — I warn you, Sussex is a strange place with an awful lot of radical people of his ilk. They will turn out, they are motivated and they will recruit. Where are our people????? Sitting around “thinking about it” and making critical remarks in polite circles is lame compared to what his side will motivate on election day. Eric Swanson was an effective Sheriff who ran the most efficient office seen in many years. He was a D. Our side. What did we do for him last election? All this mess since the R Sheriff got in is largely our own making by not supporting the good Sheriff we had.
Maybe having the Sheriff down there demonstrating how crazy and dysfunctional the Republicans are isn’t the worst thing for Democrats. Maybe it’s better to put our good candidates down there up against other people instead?
Correction: Swanson was running in a Republican year in the county swept by COD. That’s how Christopher won. Any D candidate can’t just appeal to Ds – there has to be crossover appeal, especially countywide.
The Ds start the game here with negative 50 points. There’s name recognition, money, outreach, media, and the voter registration deficit. Mitch is right about how discussions now are an improvement over previous years, when discussions began in the spring and campaigns kicked off over the summer. But still, the incumbents have been campaigning and gaining name recognition for at least two years at that point. Dems who want a chance in hell of winning have got to start now. There is no plainer way to put it.
Mitch, I know you know this. You had the word out that you were running for IC in 2012 way back in the fall of 2011. You’ve just got to get your candidates to piss or get off the pot unless you want to be another Tom Chapman or Pat Ewing or Ed O’Connor.
“You’ve just got to get your candidates to piss or get off the pot unless you want to be another Tom Chapman or Pat Ewing or Ed O’Connor.”
…….as if the party chair wields any authority or power.
As always SW, the door is always open for you to join up and be an actual doer. “piss or get off the pot” and all that.
Always a winning attitude, clearly designed to attract voters. Is that the line you use when you’re running for office, anon?
If the party chair has no power, then why is there one and why are we bothering to listen to Mitch? His primary job is to recruit winning candidates.
Look, I want the Ds down here to succeed. That’s not going to happen without candidates.
it what not about the Ds did for Swanson or didn’t do for Swanson…
it was more about what he did and didn’t do for HIMSELF – AFTER he was repeatedly warned about the challenger, in a year that those of that knew there was trouble brewing warned him, and he chose to ignore it.
thinking that his doing a good job, which he did do, was enough to get him re-elected.
Instead he sat on his laurels, only to end up with no laurels to sit on.
But his year, there is NO WAY the Sheriff of Nuttingham will be reelected. He has embarrassed himself, the office, the County and the party that supported him. The person that recruited him for the position is well…out of commission with their own issues and his support base consists or…Don Ayotte, Jonathan Moseley, Eric Bodenweiser, Bill Christy….yup that sound like a winning base to me…..
and remember – he is running County Wide – I doubt anyone east or Harberson Rd will vote for him and that’s where the population base is….. so start shredding Jeffy poo – and Sussex Countians do NOT like to see their taxes wasted on ego and ideological battles waged in court – no matter HOW conservative they are, they do tend to be rather practical….
It is always interesting to hear everyone here talk about the sussex gop being in disarray. That is true but what does it matter to Lopez, RBK, etc? They dont rely on the sussex gop committee for anything. Never have, that is why they will not be beat. Christopher, maybe.
I don’t think Sheriff Christopher is relying on the GOP Committee either. So many people have moved here from other states (and vote here now) where Sheriffs do have police powers, they can’t understand that sheriffs here have not done police work here in Delaware for over a hundred years. They don’t know this sheriff never had police powers in the first place, and they fall for the way Christopher presents it. They fall for his “merry ole England” routine, not knowing that the office of Sheriff was abolished in Ireland, and the remaining 55 or 56 sheriffs in England and Wales have not had police powers since 1861. And those people, are why — if our side doesn’t get BUSY running an effective campaign INFORMING the public here in Sussex, the TRUTH — well, it’s scary what might happen in 2014.
Let’s talk the chicken/egg of candidate recruitment, shall we? It is NOT vital, or even important, that few people have announced their intentions to run yet.
It IS important that prospective candidates are seriously considering races, and undertaking due diligence, including testing the waters with local voters and party officials.
Most candidates decide on their own to run. The most motivated, and those who make a decision to run early, have a huge advantage. Take it from me, persuading someone who is, at best, ambivalent about running, into a candidate almost never works out. If they don’t have the fire in the belly on their own, they will generally rely on others even though it’s their name on the ballot. They will invariably lose.
There may well come a time when there are blank spots on the ballot, and party officials will at least try to fill some of those vacancies, mostly to avoid embarassment and/or to keep the other side busy so that they don’t meddle in other races.
My skepticism about the alleged bounty of riches awaiting downstate D’s comes from the two boilerplate pronouncements from the Sussex County D chair. The chair, especially this long before an election, plays virtually no role in successful candidate recruitment. He/she can help a candidate get up to speed, but prospective candidates are self-selecting at this point. Until proven otherwise, I will take the chair’s pronouncements as empty public relations/self-promotion, based on past experience. I’ll be the first to admit I’m wrong if/when the time comes, and I’ll be happy to do so.
Andria Bennett’s district likes her because she’s great at constituent services and visible in the community. She took out the establishment D and the R and Brad won’t be running any time soon. I expect her to keep that office until she doesn’t want it anymore. Don’t be fooled, she’s the brains in the family – both families.
Beth McGinn was handpicked by Eric Bodenweiser to run against RBK and was a one issue candidate – manufactured housing – in a manufactured housing district and she lost comfortably.
When the end of the world comes only John Atkins and cockroaches will be left in Legislative Hall.
Lopez is going to be primaried by Mark Baker, who will be hiding how far out on the right wing fringe he really is – Baker is the pro development Sussex oil man who lost to Joan Deaver. Baker was invented by Christian Hudson and Vance Phillips, and is a big supporter of Glen Urquhart – in other words Lopez will get it from the far right crazy fringe and the far left like in 2012 and he’ll win, again.
Steve Smyk would lose if Russ McCabe would run for the district that was drawn for him.
Bobby Outten is safe.
Valerie Longhurst is safe.
George Cole is retiring, George Parrish is the chosen one. Expect Parrish to win handily. Vance Phillips will face a primary from the Sheriff’s posse. I can’t wait to see if he kicks anyone in the balls during public forums when someone asks him about the rape lawsuit..
If TNJ gets Lavelle to talk about women’s issues he’s done.
baker was beaten resoundingly by deaver. i don’t think he can beat lopez in a primary. his district is not that far to the right. i agree with spy anon that atkins is indestructible. like him or not the man is good at his job and gears up to fight every two years.
John Atkins does more than gear up to fight every two years. If an elderly lady called him at 2 AM with a flooded basement any time during his term, not just “every two years” the odds are that not only will the Fire Company show up to pump her basement, but John’s likely to be there with them to help do it. You call him, he calls you back.
In spite of gerrymandering to knock him out last election, he still had a wide margin in the group of people in his old territory who knew him and supported him, to overcome the losses in the new territory. I would bet he won’t have that problem this next election. He’s been spending tremendous amounts of time in the new sections at the fire houses, police stations, McDonald’s, etc. They call him, he calls them back. People tend to overlook his personal life, because unlike far too many in the Legislature these days, John gets back to you when you call. And he does it PROMPTLY. During that brief period when the 41st was represented by Mr. H, well the perception was that: Mr. H never partied in Ocean City, or wrote dumb e-mails, or was accused of anything improper. The perception was that he also never got back to you, or did anything really productive for the 41st district. Maybe it’s crazy, and yes people upstate laugh, but do you want “a nice man” or somebody who “gets the job done!” It is my opinion that is why John won his seat back, and gets re-elected.
LOL Spy anony! – perfectly pitched. I admire Bennett for her stand on education reform. She is independent-minded and the kind of legislator I will work to keep.
Who can talk McCabe into the race?
“I agree with spy anon that atkins is indestructible.”
That’s hard to believe of someone who beat Collins by only double digits. Does Collins have any support outside the real estate community?
The answer is that R’s “re-districted” the 41’st, putting territory in that did not know Atkins, and taking away some of his “strong spots” — thinking that would do John in.
But he was so strong in his retained area, that it overcame the maneuvering the new gerrymandered district. Thus, now Atkins has had two years to get to know the new area, and show up there every day and win the folks over. Maybe I am crazy, but I’ll bet he’ll be much stronger in the next election.
Atkins was also coming off a string of stinging Sunday stories last term. He’ll probably have put out those fires by next election.
The R’s had nothing, repeat, nothing to do with redistricting the 41st.
The D’s and, most specifically, Atkins’ only ally, Pete Schwartzkopf, redrew those lines. You know, b/c they controlled the House in 2012.
Seriously, where do you come up with such bleep?
As to Andria Bennett, if she’s the brains of that family then ‘everything’s relative’. She may be more politically canny, but she’s not an ‘independent thinker’ when it comes to any issue. Empty ambition is the best you’ll get from her.
Baker only lost to Deaver by about 300 votes and he didn’t file to run until the last possible day. He has the money to run, and he has access to money for his run. He has a built in base with the Urquhart supporters who can’t stand Lopez, and Baker has no crazy statements or questionable business deals to drag around as baggage. However, Lopez has the married 20 to 40 somethings with children tied up, and Baker won’t be able to crack Lopez’s support from sane Republicans over the age of 50. He’s a harder primary battle than Urquhart, but in the end I think Lopez wins.
The Democrat who announced doesn’t stand a chance against either one. I would bring back Andy Staton. Staton would have won IMO if a PAC from DC didn’t send out a hit piece on Lopez the week before the election that made a lot of voters angry and lost Staton a Hell of a lot of votes.
OK,so the D’s redistricted, if you study the voting districts of the 41st, it’s still true that Atkins won from his old territory. I was told that the re-districting began when the R’s still had the House. So the guy who told me was wrong? Guess we’ll have to see in the next election if I am right or not about Mr. Atkins improving his standing down Selbyville way off the 113 corridor.
El Som you keep underestimating Andria Bennett. She’s not some empty headed wife or daddy’s girl looking for guidance, you need to sit down and talk issues with her, she’s a serious legislator and very well informed.
OSCN – the redistricting in the 41st was meant to bolster Atkins and weaken Ruth Briggs King.
Old Sussex: Yes, you were wrong. Whoever told you what they told you was wrong. Ask them why they were wrong. The D’s took control of the House in 2008. The Census was completed in 2010. The redistricting for 2012 came only after the state received the census data. If anything, Pete crafted the most hospitable district for Atkins that he could.
Spy anon, I had a long (too long, actually) conversation with Andria Bennett before the 2012 election. Suffice it to say that my reaction was the 180 degree opposite of yours. I really don’t toss stuff out there with at least some reason, regardless of how impertinent it might seem to others. Or, however wrong it might be on occasion…
El Som I expect her to become one of the outstanding legislators in the House. I guess we’ll have to wait until she has a few more sessions under her belt to see which one of us is right. (But it’s going to be me).
Based on what? Seriously.
There are times when my head hurts from reading such unsupported assertions on the blog.
This is one of those times. What have I missed when it comes to the alleged stealth genius of Andria Bennett? I view this as a learning experience for me. Please enlighten me.
You and I base our assertions on the same thing, except that you’ve had one conversation with Bennett on issues while my experience with her is a bit more extensive.
Nuttingham, Atkins seems like a Nixonian, wild-eyed badger of a boy/man. I don’t know what kind of fires you think he needs to put out, but hates being viewed as stupid so that internal fire will probably power him to a long career in the state legislature, a place where lacking intellectual capacity isn’t a handicap.
Tire fires.
Andria Bennett is walking evidence that Delaware has 50% more state legislators than it needs.
I have had extensive and serious policy conversations with Andrea Bennett and, for what my opinion’s worth, I believe she will be a fine legislator. She is thoughtful and has a substantial courage of her convictions.
John Kowalko
No legislator wants convictions, John.
Acquittals are so much better.
Touche
John K.
Do not underestimate John Atkins . He is a hard working smart politician . He will work his district and will win . Parrish is not as strong as you think . A strong DEM out of 14 th will beat him in 4th council district . Personally I think Cole will run again .He is addicted to it . Will Parrish primary him ? Do not think so . In a way it is a shame because Cole does NOTHING for his district . If you want to speak to him you must go to Georgetown on Tuesdays only . Joan Deaver answers his calls .
John Atkins is many things, but “smart” is not one of them.