Why is Pete racking up the RD endorsements in Sussex?
So recently, the 14th Representative District endorsed their incumbent State Representative, House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, for reelection. There is nothing really unusual about that, one would expect one’s own RD to endorse you for reelection, except that the endorsement is quite early in the election year, and that the 14th RD abandoned their long standing policy of not endorsing before the primary election in order to make this endorsement.
And now we get word that the neighboring RD, the 20th, has taken the unusual step of endorsing Pete for reelection. I don’t think I’ve seen that happen before, where an RD endorses a candidate for election in another RD, a candidate none of the residents or members of the RD can vote for. The committee chair of the 20th RD even sent out a press release:
“As a full time legislator in the General Assembly since his initial election in 2002, Schwartzkopf has a long history of being very responsible to the needs “public safety, job creation, economic activity and quality of life — of all of Sussex County; he went on to say that Representative Schwartzkopf is a retired Delaware State Police captain and troop commander with 25 years of service and that the 20th District Committee Members are proud to underscore the recent endorsement of Schwartkopf’s re-election bid.”
So what is behind this? Does Pete face a primary? Does Pete think his general election chances have dimmed? Is there a vote in the General Assembly that is about to take place that he thinks will harm him? Is Pete going to run for Governor?
He clearly thinks of himself as a statewide figure. Maybe it is pure ego? Anyway, I’d be thrilled if he put half as much energy into identifying actual SC Democrats to run for office, as he puts into his vanity projects.
Maybe Pete wants endorsements from all 8 RDs in Sussex.
Maybe he wants to represent all of Sussex in the GA.
I haven’t checked the state Constititution yet, but I bet his friend Kathy McGuinness can show him how to qualify as a resident of all the RDs simultaneously. (And, once shown the evidence, Elaine Manlove would probably agree.)
This has the whiff of a Meeting of the Five (really 8) Families about it, you know?
“I bet his friend Kathy McGuinness can show him how to qualify as a resident of all the RDs simultaneously.”
I lol’ed.
He better live a long time if he wants to be Governor… Can’t beat Carney and if Denn chose to run in 2020 or 2024, I firmly believe he’d destroy Pete.
I live in Pete’s RD. I haven’t heard a peep about any potential challengers. Maybe the 20th wants Pete’s support for something it’s simply quid pro quo.
I just retired as Treasurer of 38th and pressure comes from within each RD . Pete is very popular with those who make big donations in each RD and they just make the request .