Matt Denn is Running for AG!

Filed in Delaware by on April 21, 2014

Is this the good news of the day or what? From Denn’s website:

My friend Beau Biden surprised all of Delaware, including me, by announcing that he would end his bid for re-election as our Attorney General, and would instead focus his attention on running for Governor in 2016.

Many people have urged me to consider becoming a candidate for Attorney General this year. It has been a hard decision, partly because I really like the job I have right now. I am proud of the work I have done as Delaware’s Lieutenant Governor and Insurance Commissioner, working to help small businesses, improve our schools, protect consumers and to look out for Delaware’s children, and I hope that the state is better for my time in those offices.

But as I have thought about it and talked it over with my family, I’ve realized that the Attorney General’s office would allow me to take a leadership role on some issues that are critical to our state, while still staying involved in the issues involving Delaware’s children that have been the core of my work over the last six years. The Attorney General, as the state’s chief law enforcement officer, must be someone with the judgment, impartiality and will to prosecute and punish those who have violated the laws of our state. He or she should also possess compassion for our most vulnerable residents, a respect for all citizens of our state regardless of their background, and a vision to prevent crime from occurring by combining smart crime prevention with a commitment to providing Delawareans with real opportunity and hope. I believe that I possess these traits. That’s why I have filed to be the Democratic candidate for Attorney General of Delaware in 2014.

As Insurance Commissioner, I took on insurance companies to preserve the rights – and sometimes the lives – of Delaware consumers. As Lieutenant Governor, I worked to improve our public schools and to protect Delaware’s most vulnerable children. I have also seen firsthand, as chair of the state’s Criminal Justice Council, the challenges that crime presents to our state’s future. If elected Attorney General, I would continue my efforts to serve and protect Delawareans, and would confront some of the critical challenges we face in this state, including the violent crime, particularly in the City of Wilmington, which is devastating families, neighborhoods and our state’s reputation. I look forward to discussing these topics in the near future.

I think that this is genuinely good news for Delaware — Matt has been extremely competent while Insurance Commissioner and as Lt. Governor, attacking real issues and getting real solutions in place. He’s also got a good relationship with the GA and would be unlikely to walk away from his own bills.

Not sure what this means for the rest of the field that DD laid out the other day, but Denn would be a great choice for AG.

What do you think?

h/t to John Young’s comment

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"You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas." -Shirley Chisholm

Comments (37)

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  1. In the words of Daniel Bryan, WWE Champ:

    “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJbmB9k2Y88

  2. Delaware Dem says:

    This is great news. As I laid out in my post over the weekend, if anyone but Denn had ran, and Colm Connolly had run for the GOP, it was quite likely that AG office would have gone to the GOP.

    So from the practical political side, this is great news.

    From the substantive political side, this is also great news, though I am somewhat more fearful. Matt Denn has been one of the more progressive statewide office holders in recent decades. I just hope such qualities do not fade in the AG office.

  3. This is also great news for Charles ‘Bouvier de Flanders’ Copeland. He can go back to doing what he’s been doing as Rethug Party Chair: Nothing.

  4. Mikem2784 says:

    Wonder when he steps down as lieutenant governor? I don’t believe an appointment can occur under our Constitution, can it? Anyone know?

  5. capesdelaware says:

    INSANITY, Matt Denn is nuts .Insane. Could of been Gov. and walked away .

  6. I would guess he’d step down at such time as he takes the oath for AG, should he win.

    Although the General Assembly officially ends on Election Day. Those no longer in the body are off the payroll effective the next day.

    So, from a practical perspective, that’s when he’d likely resign. After all, the General Assembly doesn’t reconvene until January.

    The one practical effect of this is that, should there be a 10-10 tie on a vote, there would be no Lt. Gov. to break the tie as the Senate’s presiding officer.

  7. Delaware Dem says:

    Capes, I believe the fix is in.

    Our next Governor nominee will either be Biden or Gordon.

    I suppose Denn could turn around in two years in 2016 and start running for Governor, but I doubt it.

    I mean, look how quickly Matt Denn was at the Elections office this morning filing his papers to run for AG?

    So he finds out on late Thursday afternoon that Biden is bowing out. He consults with his family, friends and political leaders over three days and has the paperwork ready, all over a holiday weekend?

    Yeah, color me skeptical. Denn knew long before Thursday and decided long before Thursday which office he was running for.

  8. Mitch Crane says:

    The Delaware Constitution does not seem to provide for the replacement of a Lt. Governor who vacates office. Therefore, the position remains vacant until filled by the 2016 election. The Senate President Pro Tempore becomes presiding officer of the Senate.

    Matt Denn brought me to the Department of Insurance when he was commissioner. No one who has worked with him can question his intelligence, drive, and commitment to doing a job well. There were many mornings I accessed my computer at 8am and found middle-of-the-night emails from Matt with thoughts and directives on insurance company regulation. He has the ability to use whatever position he holds as a pulpit for his causes-as he has shown with workers’ compensation and education issues.

    Speaking personally only, he would be an excellent attorney general.

  9. Perry says:

    Denn is a good choice for AG. It’s unfortunate, though, that we then lose an effective Lieutenant Governor and possibly our next Governor.

    No doubt Denn will still be on a path to Governor.

    I also support Beau Biden’s decision to run for Governor in 2016, provided he will publicly present in detail that he is in good health.

  10. John Manifold says:

    It’s a promotion for Denn. AG is an office of huge influence. There’s never been a liberal Democrat who’s been able to run as a liberal Democrat to get elected attorney general of Delaware.

  11. Geezer says:

    Unlike Lt. Gov., AG is a full-time job, so clearly it’s a promotion.

  12. SussexAnon says:

    Great news.

    Can we throw a banker in jail now?

  13. Jason330 says:

    One of the things Matt was able to do in the IC office was reform the culture and put the office on the side of the people. It would be nice to see some bankers locked up for thier crimes, but the guy isn’t a miracle worker.

  14. AQC says:

    Finally, a campaign I can get behind!

  15. Aint's Taking it Any More says:

    Anyone think that Denn may have walked into a trap. Just a thought here.

    Biden’s gubernatorial announcement essentially declared that working as AG is simply too important to be distracted by an election for governor. Hence, Biden was opting not to re-run for AG. If Biden does not run in 2016, and Tom Gordon decides to do so, that leaves Denn to stay with at the AG or to primary Gordon. What does Gordon have to use against Denn in a 2016 primary? Maybe a misstep in the AG’s office or, more likely, the old story line that Denn is a career politician using each office as a rung to to higher office. Gordon gets to invoke and praise Biden’s virtue to trash Denn. If Biden does run and Denn primaries him, Biden gets to do the same albeit from a higher moral ground than Tom Gordon can take.

    Just a though.

  16. Gordon calling someone else a career politician is a non-starter.

    I gotta say, though, that those who think it’s either gonna be Biden or Gordon could well be proven wrong.

    I’ve got at least as many people telling me that Beau’s condition will not permit him to run for governor as we’ve got people on the blog claiming that he’s good as new.

    Assuming that’s true, and I admit it may well not be, the whole notion of Biden as Placeholder just won’t wash. And I’ll betcha that there are people in the party who already have a suspicion as to the likelihood that he’ll make a run but, out of deference, they’re gonna keep it to themselves. In other words, it’s not gonna stop anyone from making plans.

    Think this through logically. If Biden was as well as his surrogates say he is, then there is no reason to keep hidden from the public. None. After all, he still IS AG for another 6 months or so. He could put this to rest with one public appearance. I truly hope that his health issues are only temporary, but I can reach no other rational conclusion than that his problems are serious and he is being kept out of public view at all costs. I invite him to come forward tomorrow and prove me wrong. I will gladly eat crow. Gladly.

  17. SussexWatcher says:

    Look for Jennings not to run. From Grapevine:

    “Jennings also has an unusual complication to consider. She would have to quit her job. The law says a deputy attorney general “shall resign” to become a candidate for attorney general.”

    http://www.delawaregrapevine.com/4-14dennAG.asp

  18. SussexWatcher says:

    Also, Denn is taking himself out of the 2016 race if he wins the AG’s job. From the State News:

    If he wins the race come the fall, Lt. Gov. Denn said he does not plan on running against Mr. Biden for governor, a much speculated race.

    “I’m planning to serve four years (as attorney general),” Lt. Gov. Denn said.

    http://delaware.newszap.com/centraldelaware/131462-70/lt-gov-denn-to-run-for-attorney-general

  19. What if, as I suspect, Mr. Biden doesn’t run for governor?

  20. AQC says:

    If Biden doesn’t run I suspect Tom Gordon will. I think Denn sticks with AG either way.

  21. El Somnambulo says:

    No way that Gordon runs for Governor unopposed on the D side.

  22. SussexWatcher says:

    ES: Depends how the question was phrased. “Will you run against Beau?” is a different question from “Will you run for Governor?” His answer suggests he’s planning to bow out either way, however.

    I find it interesting, though typical, that the NJ didn’t address that in its story.

  23. JJ Anon says:

    If Biden doesn’t run and Matt Denn sticks to his pledge of serving four years, I think Carney runs for governor.

  24. anon says:

    If Biden doesn’t run for Governor I will have no problem releasing Denn from his pledge to serve the full AG term because Denn belongs in the Governor’s Mansion. Then Denn can appoint Lisa Goodman to serve out the rest of his term as AG.

    I’m not necessarily looking forward to Biden as Governor, he’s anti death penalty repeal and probably wouldn’t even consider legalizing or even decriminalizing marijuana. The next governor will be a democrat, why can’t it be a democrat who isn’t in bed with law enforcement?

  25. John Manifold says:

    Indeed, to paraphrase Chris Rock, how can you be governor if you ain’t never been high?

  26. Blue Jay Way says:

    I also believe it will be Carney that runs for Governor if Biden is not able to due to health reasons. Would Markell run for Carney’s seat in Congress? I think that if we take the long view, that Matt Denn is the best person for Governor, it should not matter that much if he runs in 2016 or 2024, right?

  27. Well, if we take the short view that the State needs some serious upgrades right now, eight years of John Carney puts us eight years further behind. At least he’ll have all his Concord Coalition pals to grind the state into dust. Not to mention Ed Freel.

    Doctor, I’m not feeling a pulse!

  28. mediawatch says:

    Well, if we take the short view that the State needs some serious upgrades right now, eight years of Beau Biden would do about the same thing as eight years of John Carney.
    Biggest noticeable difference between the two would be the amount of time Beau would spend out of state raising funds. Neither one would do much to communicate with the voters who were naive enough to vote for them.

  29. Good point. You DO hope that your public officials will deign to communicate with you. Didn’t include Biden in the equation b/c I don’t think he’ll actually make the run.

  30. Artichoke says:

    Matt Denn is a good guy, and comparatively will make a great AG, but… education policy? supporting Tony DeLuca? I hope his liberal supporters are able to make sure he stays on the right track as AG and in the future.

  31. cassandra m says:

    It’s gonna be tough out there if all you are going to look for is Total Ideological Purity. The DeLuca support I’d chalk up to the fact that elected Democrats support their incumbents. But what about Denn’s Education policy will make a difference to being AG?

  32. Geezer says:

    What is the proper “liberal” stance on education policy these days, and could anyone actually win election on it?

  33. Tom Kline says:

    Matt Denn’s physical appearance would have cost him the Governor’s race. Nice guy but he has a very seedy look about him. Perfect AG look…

  34. Seedy? Now, Tom WAITS looks seedy. And I’d vote for him for anything he runs for. Betcha Bette Midler would, too:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lu51WVRfmE

  35. Y’know, it’s suddenly dawned on me. The seedy are profoundly underrepresented in government, along with atheists. We need more elected officials who are seedy atheists.

    I’m serious.

  36. SussexWatcher says:

    I haven’t seen this anywhere else, but Markell is supposedly endorsing Denn: http://wgmd.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=51&post_id=101251

  37. calvin sparks says:

    Matt Denn, will make a fantastic Attorney General