Most Intriguing Primaries: SD 2 And SD 3

Filed in Delaware, Featured by on July 18, 2018

I first want to talk about how local Democratic primaries could impact the statewide primary races.  For the most part, with just a few exceptions,  the local primaries could well drive up progressive participation precisely where such participation could help statewide reform candidates. It’s just the way the primaries worked out geographically and demographically this time.  That is certainly true of at least one of the two races we’ll discuss today, and possibly true of the other as well.

Senate District 2 is currently represented by the retiring Sen. Margaret Rose Henry. For those of you who are new to Delaware politics, Sen. Henry first won office as a Republican in a district with better than a 9-1 D registration edge.  How could that happen? Sen. Herman Holloway, Sr, the Dean of the Delaware State Senate, passed away in 1994.  In an act of profound hubris and cynicism, the D braintrust decided to run Holloway’s ne’er-do-well son Herman ‘The Lesser’ Holloway, Jr., who had been ineligible to run for office after having been found guilty of an ‘infamous’ crime. AG Charles Oberly had given Junior a reprieve and determined that the crime was not ‘infamous’ enough to warrant a ban from the ballot box. I believe Junior was literally the only D who could have lost that seat, and he did. He lost a rematch in 1996. At which point, Sen. Henry recognized that she was not going to be as fortunate with prospective opponents in the future, and flipped to the D side of the aisle, thus also dashing Republican Sen. Myrna Bair’s hopes of becoming President Pro-Tempore. I don’t believe that Henry has endured either a primary or general election campaign since.

The field of candidates vying to replace her is as pathetic a group as you will find.  You’ve got a former disbarred lawyer who is famous for threatening to sue anybody who crosses him (Sam Guy)  Uh, Sam, you MIGHT want to think of updating your website. You’re welcome.  You’ve got a tax delinquent whose rationale is that everybody does it (Darius Brown).  You’ve got an ex-police chief whose views on justice reform are the diametric opposite of Sen. Henry (Bobbie Cummings).  Last, and decidedly least, the lifelong grifter who lost twice to Sen. Henry (Herman the Lesser). One of these four will be the next State Senator from SD 2. Doesn’t matter which one it is, it will be a significant downgrade from Sen. Henry. 

Ordinarily I’d argue that a four-way primary in this district would be a major boon for the statewide progressives. It remains to be seen, however, whether reform voters will muster any enthusiasm for these miscreants. To me, it looks like Guy and Brown are the leading contenders.

Senate District 3 is currently represented by Sen. Bob Marshall, who is retiring.  SD 3 is a ‘minority-majority’ district, and is probably the most racially- and ethnically-diverse senate district in the state. It has a significant Latino population and has been home to Italians, Poles and other European ethnicities. Marshall has represented the district since 1979.  That’s right. 40 years. I think he’s been in general a very good senator.  In addition to being a leading champion of workers’ rights and minimum wage increases, he also took the lead in the revitalization of Wilmington’s riverfronts and, in particular, the creation of the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge.  He also passed one of the best packages of nursing home reform in the country.  Unfortunately, Ruth Ann Minner and Vince Meconi did everything they could to roll back those reforms. With Marshall not running, Tizzy Lockman and Jordan Hines will face off for the seat. If only one of the two of them lived in SD 2…but I digress. 

I have no doubt that this race will help drive up turnout in this part of the city as we have two qualified candidates with progressive credentials.  I want to see Tizzy Lockman win this race. She has the kind of gravitas sorely lacking in Dover at present.  Plus, and this has little bearing on the primary, I can see her moving into a leadership position fairly quickly.  We need progressive leaders in the Senate as they are in short supply.  OTOH, Jordan Hines shows plenty of promise.  Both Lockman and Hines have bright political futures. The 3rd SD is fortunate to have a choice between these two strong candidates.  

Bear in mind: I don’t live in either of these districts.  If you are closer to these races, please let us know what you think.

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  1. Delaware Left says:

    waiting for Hines to quit this race like he’s quit everything else

  2. Paul says:

    El Som please repeat why you favor Kathleen Jennings for the auditor’s race

  3. Joshua W says:

    I agree with Paul. It seems awfully strange to support someone for Auditor, when that person is in fact running for AG.

  4. RE Vanella says:

    I think you mean K Davies, yes?

    I’m still scratching my head about Hines’ decision to withdraw from the debate because Cassandra donated to Tizzy as a private individual.

    I see Hines going down a really wierd path. Like Sam Guy conspiracy theorist shit.

  5. RE Vanella says:

    Too many Kathleens.

  6. Joshua W says:

    A surfeit of Kathy’s

  7. I support Chris Johnson for AG and Kathleen Davies for Auditor. Where did I mention supporting Kathleen Jennings for AG, or auditor?

  8. BTW, stopped down to Kreston’s. You can see the Potter Insurance Agency at the intersection of Broom Street and Concord Avenue. Lotsa Potter, Guy and Vince White signs there, just to remind you who NOT to vote for.

  9. RE Vanella says:

    Saw that headed up to Rockwood Saturday for the Shakespeare. That place is like a cult center for Scientologist audits. Wierdos.

    I guess J Hines is pledging that club.

  10. RE Vanella says:

    That neighborhood is going to get very cool now that the beer hall is opening.

  11. Just a comment on the SD 2 race. In fairness, Bobbie Cummings has one thing going for him that the other three don’t–to my knowledge, he’s never run afoul of the law or the taxman. That IS something.

  12. Kelly says:

    I support Bobby Cummings. He is a honest canadate. Sam Guy is only running to make up for the large salary he made working for Tom Gordon. He is only making 2800.00 on Council and he is driving a BMW. Plus I would not vote for anyone associated with the Potters
    I hope Guy, Potter and Hines lose. These are 3 people that only care about there own wallet.

  13. Bane says:

    I’m not a Sam Guy fan, but drives he drives a pretty old SUV, not a BMW.

  14. RE Vanella says:

    Fake news.

  15. Kelly says:

    He must of just got the SUV because I saw him a few mouths ago at DD on 202 get out of a Black SUV. Maybe the re-op it.

  16. Kelly says:

    Sorry I meant to say I saw him getting out of a Black BMW.

  17. jason330 says:

    REV,

    The Harris overage has been amazing.

    ““He (Carper) has a history — from the time that he was in the House of Representatives through being a governor and now the senator — for looking definitely out for the best interests of large corporations and Wall Street,” Harris said while recounting Carper’s votes against importing cheaper prescription drugs from Canada and rolling back Wall Street regulations.”

  18. RE Vanella says:

    Calling my main man mouse.

    Beach event Saturday. Lewes. Are you hip to it?