Posted: Sept. 18, 2012; Updated legislative races:
Oct. 27, 2012
OFFICE |
MAIN CANDIDATES |
RUNDOWN |
OUTLOOK |
Senate |
Tom Carper
Democrat
Kevin
Wade
Republican
Alex
Pires
Independent |
Carper looks unstoppable on his way to
setting a record with 13 statewide wins |
Democrat |
House |
John Carney
Democrat
Tom
Kovach
Republican |
It is hard to imagine a better situation for
Carney, who is a popular Democrat in a blue
state that has not chucked out a sitting
congressman in 30 years |
Democrat |
Governor |
Jack Markell
Democrat
Jeff
Cragg
Republican |
The only question surrounding a second term
for Markell is what he wants to do next in
politics after he gets it |
Democrat |
Lt. governor |
Matt Denn
Democrat
Sher
Valenzuela
Republican |
Sure, Delaware can elect a lieutenant
governor separately from the governor. The
voters just have not bothered to do it since
1984 |
Democrat |
Ins. commissioner |
Karen Weldin Stewart
Democrat
Ben
Mobley
Republican |
The bigger challenge for Stewart was getting
through a primary, and she did. All she has to
do now is let the Democratic ticket carry her |
Democrat |
DISTRICT |
MAIN CANDIDATES |
VOTERS |
RUNDOWN |
OUTLOOK |
Senate 4th Greenville-Brandywine Hundred-Pike
Creek Valley
|
Mike Katz
Democrat
Greg
Lavelle
Republican |
D:
35%
R:
39%
O:
26% |
Katz had the early edge, but is Lavelle
trying to say something by sticking sunny yellow
smiley faces on his road signs? |
Tossup |
Senate 12th New Castle-Delaware City-below
the canal |
Dori Connor
Republican
Nicole Poore
Democrat |
D:
54%
R:
23%
O:
23% |
After 15 years in office, Connor could be
done in by redistricting and a lopsided
Democratic registration |
Advantage: Democrat |
Senate 6th Lewes-Rehoboth-Dewey-Milton |
Ernie
Lopez
Republican
Andy
Staton
Democrat |
D:
40%
R:
37%
O:
23% |
Both candidates are transplants to Sussex,
but Lopez appears to be capitalizing on local
family ties and a little help from some
Democratic friends |
Advantage: Republican |
Senate 19th Bridgeville-Georgetown-Long
Neck |
Jane
Hovington
Democrat
Brian
Pettyjohn
Republican |
D:
40%
R:
39%
O:
21% |
Once the court let the Republicans
substitute Pettyjohn, a Georgetown ex-mayor, for Eric Bodenweiser,
who was indicted for child sex
crimes, this race was all but won |
Advantage: Republican |
House 10th Brandywine Hundred |
Dennis Williams
Democrat
Bob
Rhodunda
Republican |
D:
44%
R:
32%
O:
24% |
Even after two terms, Williams
still looks to the Republicans like someone they
can take out |
Advantage: Democrat |
House 23rd Newark |
Paul
Baumbach
Democrat
Mark
Doughty
Republican |
D:
41%
R:
31%
O:
28% |
Baumbach is favored, but
this is UD country, where it would be unwise to
count out a candidate with the prize endorsement
Doughty has from Tubby Raymond |
Advantage: Democrat |
House 11th Southern New Castle
County-northern Kent County |
Lynne
Newlin
Democrat
Jeffrey Spiegelman
Republican |
D: 42%
R:
31%
O:
27% |
Spiegelman is running under the radar and
could slip by the Democratic registration edge |
Advantage: Republican |
House 29th Cheswold-Dover-Camden |
Lincoln Willis
Republican
Trey
Paradee
Democrat |
D: 44%
R:
32%
O:
24% |
Although Willis coasted into this seat in
'10, the Democrats are making a run with Paradee,
who sat out the last election but nearly won it
in '08 |
Advantage: Republican |
House 32nd Dover |
Andria Bennett
Democrat
Ellis
Parrott
Republican |
D:
50%
R:
25%
O:
25% |
Dynamite might not be enough to blast anyone
named Bennett out of this seat |
Advantage: Democrat |
House 20th Lewes-Milton |
Marie
Mayor
Democrat
Steve
Smyk
Republican |
D:
39%
R:
37%
O:
24% |
Mayor gets high marks for her campaign
organization, although it is tough to beat a retired
state trooper like Smyk in Sussex |
Advantage: Democrat |
House 37th Georgetown-Long Neck |
Ruth Briggs King
Republican
Beth
McGinn
Democrat |
D:
41%
R:
38%
O:
21% |
The district was drawn to give Briggs King
trouble, and it is. The manufactured housing
people are restless |
Advantage: Republican |
House 38th Ocean View-Fenwick
Island-Selbyville |
Ron
Gray
Republican
Shirley Price
Democrat |
D:
35%
R:
44%
O:
21% |
Price, an ex-legislator, knows how to
campaign, but Gray has the registration on his
side as well as Gerald Hocker, a Republican
giving up the seat to run for the Senate |
Advantage: Republican |
House 40th Laurel-Delmar |
Tim
Dukes
Republican
Ben
Lowe
Democrat |
D:
41%
R:
38%
O:
21% |
The retirement of Biff Lee, an 11-term Republican, opened
up this Sussex seat in territory favorable to a
Republican |
Advantage: Republican |