EARLY LINE 2016

Updated: June 29, 2015

Delaware is entering Politics A.B. -- After Beau.

It shook itself into existence last week with a couple of moves from New Castle County officeholders who have their sights set on statewide office.

Chris Bullock, the Democratic president of the County Council, let it be known he would run for lieutenant governor, and Trini Navarro, the Democratic sheriff, went all the way and flat-out announced for insurance commissioner.

What is it about New Castle County government that people cannot wait to get out of there?

Chris Coons pulled off a hail-Mary campaign to be a Democratic senator. Tom Kovach, who had already pressed his luck, getting elected County Council president as a Republican in a special election, nevertheless bolted for an unwinnable congressional race.

Now it is Bullock and Navarro and a bunch of people holding their breath about Tom Gordon, who could stay put as the Democratic county executive or go for governor.

These are strange times. Ten years ago, it looked like there were more up-and-comers than state politics could make room for.

Jack Markell was the Democratic treasurer. John Carney was the Democratic lieutenant governor. Matt Denn was the Democratic insurance commissioner. Chris Coons was the Democratic county executive. Beau Biden was on his way to getting elected as the Democratic attorney general.

It came to pass that Markell would be governor, Carney a congressman and maybe the next governor, Denn an attorney general after a stop as lieutenant governor, Coons a senator, and Beau Biden would lie in eternal honor.

As Beau was fond of quoting, "Life is what happens when you're making other plans."

Office Democrats Republicans Rundown
Governor

John Carney

Tom Gordon

Colin Bonini

Lacey Lafferty

 Paging John Carney, paging John Carney . . .
U.S. House

Bryan Townsend

Bryon Short

Collin O'Mara

Hans Reigle

 For the congressional seat? Is that all there is?
Lieutenant governor

Chris Bullock

Brad Eaby

Greg Fuller

Kathy McGuiness

Sherry Dorsey Walker

   This looks like the statewide version of a Wilmington election, a Democratic free-for-all and not a Republican in sight
Insurance commissioner

Karen Weldin Stewart

Trini Navarro

 George Parish This isn't an election, it's a gag. So an insurance commissioner, a sheriff and an ex-clerk of the peace go into a race . . .

Incumbents in bold

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