|
Posted: March 25, 2014
LEGISLATIVE EARLY LINE 2014
By Celia Cohen
Grapevine Political Writer
The Delaware General Assembly is entirely under
Democratic control, not exactly surprising in a state
that might be the deepest blue in the nation.
It has been all-Democratic since the House of
Representatives flipped in 2008 to synchronize with the
Senate, where the Republicans have been shut out of
power going all the way back to 1973 when Richard Nixon
was president -- for 41 years, if anyone is still
counting.
The rest of the country eventually got over Nixon,
but in Legislative Hall in Dover, the shadow lingers.
There is every reason to believe the Democrats will
still be in charge when the votes are counted in 2014,
particularly because the competitive races are few and
some of them are actually primaries.
All 41 representatives are up for new two-year terms,
and 10 of the 21 senators are up for new four-year
terms. The chambers are currently split this way:
Senate --
13 Democrats and 8 Republicans
House of
Representatives -- 27 Democrats and 14 Republicans
In the early going, here are some races to watch.
| DISTRICT |
DEMOCRATS |
REPUBLICANS |
VOTERS |
RUNDOWN |
|
Senate 3rd
Wilmington |
Bob Marshall Sherry Dorsey Walker |
|
D:
70%
R:
11%
O:
19% |
Marshall has 36 years as a senator. Dorsey
Walker has 2 years as a city councilwoman.
Halfway through her term, she has a no-fault
shot at him |
|
Senate 6th
Lewes-Rehoboth-Dewey-Milton |
Claire Snyder-Hall |
Ernie Lopez |
D:
40%
R:
36%
O:
24% |
Lopez irked the left by voting against gay
marriage and the right by voting against the
death penalty. Why not take him on? |
|
Senate 11th
Brookside-Christiana |
Bryan Townsend Dave Tackett |
|
D:
56%
R:
20%
O:
24% |
Tackett could be another mid-term candidate,
if he decides to run in safety from a county
council seat he won 10 years ago |
|
House
10th
Brandywine Hundred |
Dennis Williams Sean Matthews |
Bob Rhodunda |
D:
44%
R:
32%
O:
24% |
This is a double rematch from challengers
who were so close and yet so far. In 2012
Williams polled 53% against Matthews and 52%
against Rhodunda |
|
House
11th
Southern New Castle/Northern Kent counties |
Lynne Newlin |
Jeff Spiegelman |
D:
41%
R:
31%
O:
28% |
Since at first Newlin did not succeed,
losing to Spiegelman two years ago by 210 votes,
she is ready to try, try again |
|
House
25th
Newark-Glasgow |
John Kowalko |
|
D:
46%
R:
25%
O:
29% |
Kowalko got himself on the wrong side of the
governor and the building trades by leading the
charge against The Data Center's power plant
plans. He could be primary bait |
|
House
29th
Cheswold-Dover-Camden |
Trey Paradee |
Pete Kramer |
D:
44%
R:
32%
O:
24% |
First-term legislators like Paradee, elected
with under 55 percent of the vote, draw
challengers |
|
House
30th
Harrington-Felton-Farmington |
Jonathan Gallo |
Bobby Outten |
D:
37%
R:
35%
O:
28% |
Gallo raised $13,000 last year to show he is
serious about trying to send Outten, who is 66,
into retirement |
|
House
31st
Dover |
Sean Lynn Ralph Taylor |
Sam Chick |
D:
52%
R:
24%
O:
24% |
With Darryl Scott, a three-term Democrat,
not running again, this race is a free-for-all |
|
House
33rd
Milford-Frederica-Magnolia |
Kevin Robbins |
Jack Peterman |
D:
39%
R:
34%
O:
27% |
After holding Peterman to 53% of the vote in
2012, Robbins is ready for a rematch |
Incumbents in bold
RETURN TO COVER PAGE
###
|
