The Delaware Democratic Party in Sussex County held its annual Spring Dinner in Dewey Beach, at the Baycenter, on April 1, giving local politicos a chance to rub elbows with top brass and some of the statewide Democratic candidates for the 2006 midterm elections.
Coastal Point • SAM HARVEY:
Richard Legatski, left, breaks from a conversation with Zaida and Fernando Guajardo. Zaida is the executive director of La Esperanza and Fernando is the chair of the Governor’s Council on Hispanic Affairs.
Lt. Gov. John Carney and Secretary of State Harriet Windsor-Smith, are numbers two and three, respectively, behind head honcho Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, who sent her regrets. Minner had gone in for additional medical treatment, for another kidney stone, they said.
“She’s doing fine, resting,” Carney assured the crowd. “If only we could get her to take a few days off…” he suggested, Minner might have healed up a little sooner. “I know she’d rather be here than at Kent County Hospital,” he pointed out.
He also sent regards from U.S. Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), who was in Florida attending national-level Democratic leadership and policy meetings.
Delaware’s senior U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) was likewise unable to attend. However, his son, Joseph “Beau” Biden III, who’s entered a bid for state attorney general, did join the others at the head table.
Carney recognized some of the locals in attendance — Shirley Price, party chair for Sussex County, Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf (14th District) and Sen. George Howard Bunting (20th District), among others.
He also noted Sussex County Council Member Finley Jones (District 2), one of three Democrat council members safely ensconced until 2008.
There’s still no word on Democratic challengers for the two Republican council seats up for reelection this fall — the seats held by Council Members George Cole and Vance Phillips (Districts 4 and 5, respectively).
As Delaware Democratic Party’s Molly Jurusik (executive director) pointed out, both contests are problematic. She hinted at a lack of enthusiasm for pitting an opponent against Cole, a perennial draw for votes from both sides of the aisle — and a man more frequently vocal in his regard for environmental protectionism than the Democratic council members.
As far as District 5, Jurusik said many local Democrats — coastal-towners — had decided they couldn’t have found a better champion for moderated growth than long-time Fenwick Island Mayor Peg Baunchalk. When Phillips defeated Baunchalk in 2002, many came to feel no preservationist candidate could prevail over the more numerous conservative constituents of District 5.
Phillips’ district was previously centered in the southwest, but redistricting in 2001 swept South Bethany and Fenwick Island into his bailiwick. Jurusik considered the district strangely shaped, and suggested the redistricting had flipped some of those coastal residents into the minority.
In other local races, the Democrats still haven’t revealed whether or not they’ll challenge incumbent Rep. Gerald Hocker (38th District), either. But they do have a challenger for Delaware’s seat at the U.S. House of Representatives, in Dennis Spivack (taking on long-time incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Castle).
Spivack and his wife, Marcia, joined Carney and the others at the head table. Spivack made the rounds, shaking as many hands as possible, and spoke briefly after dinner.
He expressed his gratitude for the warm reception he’d received around Sussex County to date. “You’ve offered me your counsel and advice,” he said. “You are making me the type of candidate that I have to become, in order to win.”
Price introduced Biden for a few words, as well, noting his status as a new father. Biden introduced 3-week-old Hunter, and but spoke only briefly regarding his own campaign, saying he’d really come to help rally support for the party ticket.
“We’re going to have Carper, Jack, Dennis (Spivack), and we’re going to have me,” Biden said, tossing in a mention of Jack Markell, running for another term as state treasurer. “We’ve got a team that’s going to talk about what’s important for the voters of Delaware and what’s important for the future of Delaware.”
Carney thanked 38th District Chair Charlotte Anderson and Milford politico John Workman for helping to organize the event, and the local contingent recognized a few of their own as the evening wound down.
Pete Keenan and Kay Ryan picked up this year’s Sussex County Dem Friend awards. Peter Schott (14th District Chair) was named the party’s Man of the Year in Sussex County, and Anderson garnered Sussex County Woman of the Year.