Finding Candidates For The 19th District
Jun 26th, 2009 by thatsElbert
After Thurman Adams passed away this week, his 19th district state senate seat was vacated requiring a special election to occur. In an email sent out tonight, Eric “Bodie” Bodenweiser notified potential supporters that he is being interviewed by GOP leadership as a potential candidate in that special election. Bodie is currently the honorary chaplain of SCCOR. He is one of what I’m sure is a group of people interested in running. That list of names isn’t published, but I would guess at least one person that might run for that seat. That person’s win would lead to another special election, and so the cycle goes.
No doubt there will be a Democrat on the ballot. I’m aware that there is a possible minor party candidate. This will all shake out soon enough, giving everyone an interesting summertime election.
(crossposted on That’s Elbert With An E)
UPDATE: Due to some misunderstandings I would like to amend this post. As I stated in the first paragraph, an email was sent out to potential Bodenweiser supporters asking for their help with his potential campaign. From the content of the email, I perceived that circulating this information via the blogs would be OK. As it has turned out sending out this information has become an offense to family and friends. It was not my intention to show any disrespect to Senator Adams by reporting this information.
On a day when his life is celebrated, he certainly should be honored in all that he has done to help Bridgeville and the state of Delaware. I am sure that every one of us has directly or indirectly been touched by the work of his hands in service to his community. His legacy will live on not only through his work in Dover but through his children and his children’s children.
This matter was a misunderstanding. There was absolutely no direct request by Mr. Bodenweiser or his supporters to post this information on any blog. To reiterate what I posted in the comments section, if posting this information brought any sorrow to the family or friends, please accept my apology.
Best wishes to Eric. He would be fine candidate who would generate a great deal of enthusiasm. He is already involved and won’t have to spend a couple of weeks getting up to speed on the issues. That would be important in a summer special election. The Democrats will have the sympathy vote. Eric will offer a way to overcome that. I don’t know the full list of candidates on our side yet so I can not offer a comparison.
I have met Eric and worked with him on a couple issues. If he is running I would be glad to see him as part of our legislature. I think he would do a great job.
For Senator Adams and his families sake, can we please have this discussion after his funeral?
Erics email has upset some on the eve of the good Senators burial.
Anonomous #3,
I wrestled with this very issue after I had posted the information. It is no surprise that political organizations are already considering their options regarding the special election. At the same time, it almost seem disrespectful openly discussing these matters, to a degree like driving by a funeral procession instead of pulling off the road to show respect. If posting this information brought any sorrow to the family, please accept my apology.
the seat belongs to the people of the 19th, not Mr Adams.
blog-a-weigh
I agree with annoni. That is not how the laws are set up. Remember we already had leadership elections. The election could be in as few as 16 days or as many as 45. Either way you have to move. He has a duty to let his friends know that he had a meeting Sunday. I would understand if Eric were doing advertisement, but or had gone out and made an announcement. He did not. This was a notification to friends and supporters about the process and asking for their support. The primary election is Sunday as far as he is concerned. Everyone is making their calls or emails. Eric’s just happen to get referenced.
There is no time to wait because the people’s business won’t wait. The key is to be low key and respectful until the funeral. That is being done by all involved as far as I know.
I choose not to highlight replacements yet, but I stand by Elbert’s doing so. E. S. on Delaware Liberal and others engaged in replacement speculation that day. We did not. Each of us has to handle this in our own time. Some won’t be ready for a year to move forward. Some were ready the next hour. I just hope both sides are respectful of the other. Life doesn’t stop. Those close to him are understandably in morning. It may seem like a whirlwind with so many talking about the next move when you are still processing the reality that just came from nowhere. Please understand that it is by no means a slight. We continue to hold you in our prayers.
Eric who? Its Joe Booths if he wants it.
I agree, but why would he want it. He won’t matter as much in the senate as in the house. He will still have to run every two years at least until 2012 and maybe 2014 depending upon the draw. I am being drawn into a discussion that I was saving. I am going to cut it off on my part until tomorrow out of respect. You all are free to continue.
I love the update. It is very classy. I couldn’t have said it better.
I’d like to see Joe Booth take this seat, and another GOPer take Booth’s House seat.
David “why would Booth want it”? Because being 1 of 21 is better than being 1 of 41. Plus the four year terms.
Why? A lot of Reps will tell you differently. Rep. Booth actually can get his legislation passed in the house. In the senate he would have to work 3 times as hard. The GOP matters in the house because they are greater than 2/5′s and they will likely pick up a couple of seats next year and have a realistic chance to take the house. The numbers are so dire in the senate that Republicans only matter when Democrats are split. That has a decent chance to change next year. If the GOP gains a seat here and then 2 next year then that could change.
If you want power, you stay in the house if you are a Republican.
As I said, it would not be a 4 year term for up to 4 elections. 2014 because the minority usually gets assigned the 2 year seats. In the house it is almost 4 year terms anyway for most incumbents like Rep. Booth. They run unchallenged every other election.
It really doesn’t make a difference when it comes to 1 of 21 or 41. It is not like one in 21 and one in 100. What makes a difference is the configuration of the rules. The house rules make the individual representative especially the backbencher or minority, more powerful than the typical minority or backbencher in the Senate. There is no chance of a Republican takeover of the senate at least until 2012 and I would give odds on that. 6 seats picked up in the next two elections with no losses just doesn’t seem realistic. That means you have to think that you will have to function in the minority.
For one’s career, the house seems the best bet. If he got the nomination, I would of course want to see him win. I just think that he would be giving up more than he gains.