A deeper Election 2024 dive: Delaware's U.S. House seat
The second of what will be a series of several posts as we approach Election Day 2024, with Delaware's primary coming September 10.
Because there will be a contested primary for Delaware’s lone Congressional seat this year from both parties, this post is second in line. What follows will be a capsule of each campaign from information I have gleaned through the study of their social media, campaign websites, and biographical information where available. I’ll work through the Republican candidates first, then the Democrats. Because this is pre-primary, I may update this later after the primary if a minor-party candidate enters the race. (If none enter, I’ll still repost a condensed version with updated info.)
And as always for my readers, most of whom live outside Delaware: consider this a template for covering your local and state races.
When it came to the filing deadline, Republicans had three hopefuls trying to win the first House election in Delaware for the GOP since 2008, when Mike Castle won his last term. But one withdrew days afterward, leaving just a pair seeking the GOP bid.
Donyale Hall
Age at Election Day: unknown, but based on other available information, around 55 years old. Never ask a woman her age, right?
Political/background: She has ran unsuccessfully for State Senate District 17 in 2018, Lieutenant Governor in 2020, and Dover City Council in 2023. She is a mom of ten (!) children, businesswoman, Air Force veteran, and a past vice-president of the Central Delaware NAACP, among many other things. (Disclosure: I donated to her 2020 campaign.) Website. Endorsed by the Delaware Republican Party.
Hall is hitting three main issues hard:
Economy and job creation: “Donyale will use her business and accounting experience to cut the wasteful spending in Washington, help create more good-paying jobs here at home, and lower costs and inflation so that everyone has a better chance to succeed.” It’s a reasonable idea; however, the question is whether she’ll use the power of the purse to do what would really create jobs: starve the bureaucracy beast.
Crime: “That’s why she will work to provide our law enforcement the tools and resources they need to keep our families and children safe, get violent criminals off our streets, and ensure the safety and well-being of communities across Delaware.” Resources are nice, but to me this is more of a local issue that reflects her previous political runs.
Education: “Delaware consistently ranks either last or near last in K-12 education. Donyale believes that is unacceptable–and if we want different results, we have to elect different leaders. We can improve our education system by investing in our teachers and classrooms, reducing overtesting and bureaucracy, putting decision-making process back into the hands of parents, and making sure every single child has access to an educational situation that sets them up for success.” Again, more of a local issue. If the path to gets there involves defunding and disbanding the federal Department of Education, that would be a good start - but there’s no sign of that.
Perusing her social media, there is one contrast she can draw with a prospective Democrat opponent:
“As a mother of daughters who play sports, I proudly attended hearings today for SB191, a bill that would provide protection and support to our women athletes here in Delaware.
We cannot willingly strip the protections for female athletes to accommodate a radical and dangerous agenda. We must stand with our women and young girls and uphold safe and fair athletic competition standards. Biological men and boys do not belong in girls' sports.”
My thoughts: The problem I see with Donyale is that she’s trying to repeat her state race in 2020 as a federal race in 2024. I actually looked back at her 2020 website and found it’s the same construction and essentially the same issues, but she’s running in a whole new ballgame and the (most likely) competition is trying to be a “first” like his/her predecessor was. I’m sure it’s tough to run a campaign, a business, and a life at the same time but she has the experience of previously running statewide to draw back on and I would expect more.
John Whalen III
Age at Election Day: unknown, but based on other available information, around 70 years old.
Political/background: First run for office. John is a retired Delaware State Police officer and construction company owner. Website.
If you thought Hall had a narrow focus, Whalen has it down to two issues - but at least they are federal ones.
“Illegal immigration through our southern border is at a historic high. We cannot afford to let more than 8 million illegals into our country in less than four years without doing harm to our economy and national security.
Bidens failure to enforce U.S. Immigration laws has had ramifications that extends far beyond our borders. His negligence has ‘fundamentally’ changed hundreds of American communities into border towns, leaving them vulnerable to those who take advantage of his unlawful policies.
Politicians on both sides of the aisle often opine ‘our immigration system is broken.’ Therein lies the problem, is our system ‘broken,’ or is it political speak for government's failure to enforce our immigration laws.
Biden's ‘catch and release’ policy is in direct violation of 8 USC 1225 which requires the detention of all illegal aliens.
Congress should insist that the Executive Branch enforce our laws. It's a matter of national security.”
That should probably be Harris/Biden given the position of our “border czar,” but regardless, John’s other issue is the economy.
“Biden tells us that his economic policies are working, while average Americans watch their family budgets shrink as the federal budget grows. His war on fossil fuels has unnecessarily burdened families with higher electric bills, higher fuel cost for those traveling back and forth to work, and higher grocery cost, while lining he pockets of foreign entities that produce the solar panels and windmills for his climate agenda.
The federal debt is now $34.8 trillion. The cost to service the debt for FY 2024 is projected to be $870 billion, surpassing our defense budget of $822 billion. If deficit spending continues at its current pace, our Republic as we know it today, will cease to exist.
Its time for Congress to start asking the tough questions: Why are Americans being asked to borrow money to support foreign wars. Why are we supporting institutions of higher learning that are sitting on millions of dollars in endowments. Why do we continue to spend billions of dollars funding government agencies that have failed to perform the duties for which they were formed. Why did Congress remove the self-imposed ‘debt ceiling.’ Why are Americans being asked to spend billions to support illegal aliens.”
He closes this page with a prudent quote from Thomas Jefferson: "To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt .... I am for a government rigorously frugal and simple."
My thoughts: And that’s the extent of it, as Whalen filed practically at the last minute and now has to run a compressed statewide campaign with almost no name recognition. It’s both a symptom of a Republican bench that’s not deep and, quite frankly, elected officials being afraid to deal with the competition that I’ll get to in a moment.
As the GOP primary goes:
Who should win: Either/or at this point, given the lack of information. Leaning Whalen.
Who will win: Donyale Hall.
As for the Democrats, they also have three running, but two appear to be ghost candidates as the initial field was broomed for various reasons.
Earl Cooper
Age at Election Day: Unknown, appears to be late middle-age.
Political/background: As far as I can tell this is his first political run and he owns a highway flagger company. Website.
“The Housing Pilot Program designed by Mr. Cooper offers our people the opportunity to attain homeownership through their dedicated efforts, known as "sweat equity." As homeownership continues to symbolize the American Dream, Mr. Cooper, is committed to improving the city's infrastructure and rejuvenating local neighborhoods. Our focus is on creating high-quality, affordable living spaces within our communities.”
There’s not much to go on here. This is more like something you would run for office in Wilmington with, or advertise a business.
My thoughts: I’m not sure Cooper’s taking this seriously. Maybe he just wants to get the black vote, or bring name recognition to his business. I can think of better ways of doing it.
“Sarah” McBride
Age at Election Day: 34.
Political/background: State Senator since 2021. McBride is “running from cover” as that State Senate seat is not on the 2024 ballot. As the Victory Fund describes it, “Sarah has been an advocate for most of her life, working for Delaware officials including former Governor Jack Markell and the late Attorney General Beau Biden, as a White House intern during the Obama Administration, and as a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ equal rights organization.” Website.
Endorsed by the Democrat Party and a host of unions and other special interests, Sarah is a standard-grade Communist-wannabe who has always worked in the (at least quasi-) public sector and is advocating for several pet overwhelming federal government issues:
On health care, it would be “the ultimate goal of universal coverage.” Expanding Medicare, lowering the age of eligibility, and providing a “public option” (which would soon be the only option) are the steps in getting there.
On abortion, Sarah is downright in-your-face: “As MAGA extremists continue to criminalize abortion, I will fight to protect the private relationship between a patient and their physician. In my time in the State Senate, I proudly worked to make Delaware a safe haven for reproductive care. I’ve supported and co-sponsored every pro-choice bill that has come before me and been a champion of bills expanding access to reproductive care in Delaware.” Since Sarah can’t have kids, why should anyone else?
Sarah is for a federal minimum wage of $15 per hour, indexed to inflation. S/he (and I use the term loosely) would would also work to restore what “Build Back Better” cut out, such as “paid family and medical leave, universal childcare, and investments in housing and elder care.” Sarah is also for the PRO Act, which is basically a gift to unions.
Another gift to unions and lump of coal to ratepayers: “I’ll fight to increase investment in renewable energy, make green technologies affordable and accessible for consumers and businesses, and ensure that the sustainable industries of the future employ a local and unionized workforce.”
Also, “I’ll vote to end mass incarceration, legalize marijuana and expunge convictions, and help to reimagine a system that prioritizes reentry and prevents recidivism.”
Sarah is for an “assault weapons” ban and stricter background checks.
On the financial front: “By embracing fintech, blockchain technology, and crypto innovation, we have the opportunity to cultivate a more inclusive economy that reaches every corner of our nation – and sets Delaware’s economy up for long term success.” I like cash myself.
Sarah also wants to, “combat the issues compromising the integrity of our electoral system such as dark money politics, election denialism, and gerrymandering. In Congress, I will be a champion of free and fair elections and work to strengthen our Democracy.” (Kid, we live in a republic.)
My thoughts: Having had one “first” representative who did little while in office besides try and use the same shtick for higher office, we’re poised to elect two in a row. Considering Sarah has $1.6 million in the campaign bank and the Democrat field got cleared, there’s not much else to say. Now we go beyond skin color and actually vote for someone with gender dysphoria, a latent mental disorder. (The American Psychiatric Association’s definition, not mine.) Delaware is not that far left of a state, but unless the GOP can get its act together in a hurry, they’re going to elect someone who would fit perfectly into The Squad.
Elias Weir
Age at Election Day: Based on information I found from Ballotpedia - with a little help from (of all places) Baseball Reference, Elias is between 65 and 70 years old.
Political/background: Weir is a native of Honduras, and has run for office several times: as a Democrat for Congress in 2016 (last place in a six-person field), as an independent write-in for State House in 2020, and twice for local office in the state of New York before moving to Delaware.
Unfortunately, that’s about all I could glean from him. While he filled out a survey at Ballotpedia, it was more geared to state office.
My thoughts: Weir is another “just in case” candidate who’s there in the event the leader crumples over. I can’t even use the old line “in bed with a live boy or dead girl” based on the front-runner.
As the Democrat primary goes:
Who should win: Can we have “none of the above”?
Who will win: Sarah McBride.
Next time will be the two other statewide races with a primary, as Democrats fight over who to nominate for Lieutenant Governor and Insurance Commissioner.
Until my next election focus, remember you can Buy Me a Coffee since I have a page there.