Candidates face off at Milton Theatre
Story Location:
110 Union St.
Milton, DE
United States
With the Nov. 8 election just weeks away, 14th Rep. District Republican challenger James DeMartino didn’t want to miss what might be his only opportunity to publicly question the commitment to the district of Democratic incumbent Speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf.
DeMartino came prepared with a newspaper clipping about Schwartzkopf speaking shortly after winning the Sept. 13 primary against challenger Don Peterson. In the article, said DeMartino, Schwartzkopf said having a primary was good because it meant he got to go back out, do some door knocking and meet his constituents again.
As Speaker of the House, Schwartzkopf’s time is taken up representing the state and not his district, said DeMartino, during a candidates’ forum Oct. 6. The standing-room only event was hosted by Delaware 105.9 in the Milton Theatre.
Schwartzkopf quickly shot back that there was no stronger voice for the district and county than his. He then threw in a jab of his own, saying DeMartino didn’t know what he was talking about because he hadn’t lived in the area long enough – a comment in reference to DeMartino having to prove to the state election board that he met the state’s three-year residency requirement. By about a month, he does.
The Schwartzkopf and DeMartino moment, because of the format and time limitations, was one of the only times candidates addressed each other directly during the event.
In the Sussex County Council District 3 race, Democrat Leslie Ledogar and Republican I.G. Burton III shared similar views on district issues. Both said they were for smart growth and against the proposed Overbrook Town Center.
Both also said it was their experience that set them apart from their opponent.
Burton said he’s been a lifelong Sussex Countian, a small businessman and standing member of the county’s planning and zoning commission.
Ledogar said she’s a well-educated environmental attorney and a trained mediator capable of bringing opposing sides together.
The 20th Representative District race is the only local race with more than two candidates – incumbent Republican Steve Smyk, Democratic challenger Barbara Vaughan and Independent Party of Delaware challenger Don Ayotte.
A question on the death penalty was the one issue all three commented on. Smyk, a retired state trooper, supports the death penalty. Vaughan said she was morally against it. Ayotte said he was fine with the death penalty at one point in his life, but he has changed his opinion.
People can spend the rest of their lives in jail, but they can’t be revived out of a coffin, he said.
Other candidates who answered questions included the 41st Representative District race between incumbent Republican Rich Collins and Democratic challenger Brad Collins; and the Clerk of the Peace candidates Democrat Charlie Koskey and Republican Norman Jones, both newcomers.
None of the statewide Democratic candidates – John Carney in the governor’s race, Bethany Hall-Long in the lieutenant governor’s race and Trinidad Navarro in the insurance commissioner's race – were in attendance, but all three of their Republican counterparts at least made an appearance.
Insurance commissioner candidate Jeff Cragg was in the audience, and lieutenant governor candidate La Mar Gunn showed up about an hour and 15 minutes in.
Gubernatorial candidate Colin Bonini, a state senator from Camden with two decades of experience, was the only statewide candidate to address the crowd. He said he was in favor of legalizing marijuana for Delawareans at least 21 years old, because, he said, the state already has. He then referenced the 2015 signing of a bill decriminalizing up to an ounce of the drug.
If the state is going to do it, the state might as well regulate it, Bonini said.
He said state spending problems are fixable, and that he would focus on early retirement for state employees and reforming Medicaid to start.
Bonini called Carney a nice man, but he said Carney was more of the same Democratic establishment that has been running Delaware for years.
“You keep voting for the same, you get more of the same,” he said.
The deadline to register in Delaware is Saturday, Oct. 15. There are two ways to register – at the Department of Elections, 119 N. Race St., Georgetown, which will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and ivote.de.gov, which allows for registration until midnight.
Look for the Cape Gazette’s comprehensive 2016 Election Guide in the Friday, Oct. 28 edition. Responses to the Cape Gazette’s 2016 election online survey are being accepted until noon, Monday, Oct. 17.
