Candidates rally in Delaware

By the time Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton wrapped up her Wilmington campaign rally April 25, three presidential candidates had visited Delaware in less than four days.

Delaware State Archivist Stephen Marz said the candidates campaigning in Delaware continues a long history of future presidents and presidents making the effort to visit a state with fewer than a million residents and just under 2,500 square miles.

Starting with President Theodore Roosevelt's visit to Georgetown in the early 20th century, Marz said he has a collage in his Dover office with all the presidents who have visited Delaware. He then listed off presidents Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, John F. Kennedy, and George H. W. and George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

Delaware is a small state, but it’s the First State and many politicians see the historical significance of that, Martz said.

Delaware’s Presidential Primary is Tuesday, April 26. Clinton’s presidential campaign companions, Republican Donald Trump and fellow Democrat Bernie Sanders, visited the state April 22 and April 23.

Marz said this year, Delaware has been thrust into the media spotlight because of the importance of delegates for the candidates. He said he’s been living in the area for 15 years and this is the first time the primary has garnered this much local attention.

The two Democratic rallies were held in Wilmington – Clinton’s at the World Cafe Live at the Queen and Sanders’ at the Chase Center on the Riverfront.

U.S. Rep. John Carney, U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper and Gov. Jack Markell, all Delaware Democrats, kicked off Clinton's rally showing ecstatic support for the woman who may be the first female president of the United States.

“There is nothing that faces our country in this difficult, divided and dangerous world that will surprise her,” Coons said. “This is a woman fully capable of being one of the greatest American presidents, starting from her first day.”

Clinton took the stage at the Queen amid cheers and chants as she discussed economic issues, education, minimum wage, and the racial, social and economic barriers faced by Americans locally and nationwide.

“The more people who are prosperous and peaceful, that's good for America,” Clinton said. “Everybody knows how consequential this election is. And when you hear the Republicans talking about their economic policies, they want to go back to what failed us before. I'm the only candidate who has said I will not raise taxes on middle class families. That is not going to happen on my watch.”

On Friday, it was Trump who kicked off the primary appearances. Except for a couple dozen police officers, metal detectors and a billionaire candidate showing up in a helicopter, Trump’s Delaware State Fair rally in Harrington had a decidedly more slow-day-at-the-state-fair-feel than the Wilmington rallies. People parked in the grass lot immediately south of the fair grounds and then snaked their way down Chambers Road, Shaw Avenue and then Raughley Street before entering Quillen Arena from the Schabinger Arena side.

There were none of the confrontations seen during other Trump rallies – including the April 20 rally at Stephen Decatur High School in Berlin, Md. – taking place outside of Quillen Arena.

The thousands of people who attended the rally were supportive, excited, curious, but most of all prideful.

Rory Monroe, of Frankford, was carrying a Trump-themed board game. He said he was hoping to get Trump to sign it.

“It would be a dream come true,” he said. “I’ve liked Trump since before he announced. I just like the fact that he’s a businessman who tells it the way it is,” he said. “I’ve been a mechanic for 25 years and I’m tired of installing crappy parts from China. Trump wants to bring those manufacturing jobs back to America, and I like that.”

Monroe credited Trump with making the trip to the southern part of Delaware.

“It shows that he likes people like me,” he said.

Not everyone at the event was local. There were nearly 50 vendors hocking Trump-themed hats, shirts, foam fingers, masks and pins.

Mike McNeal, of Sarasota, Fla., had been on the road for the past four months selling Trump merchandise, which means he’s seen first-hand the more intense rallies.

“It’s a lot of driving and long hours,” he said. He was happy to be in Delaware. “Harrington’s been great. It’s a beautiful day and the people have been nice.”

Elected officials were in attendance, including Senate Minority Leader Sen. F. Gary Simpson, R-Milford. He said he wanted to hear what Trump had to say, and what his constituents had to say about Trump.

Simpson said having Trump in Harrington could only be seen as a positive for Delaware.

“Having any presidential candidate in Delaware is great,” he said. “I think Trump realizes he might need every last delegate he can get, and Delaware will help.”

Three high-school-aged girls from Dover were in attendance for the political experience.

“It’s an opportunity,” said Mira Prisco. “It’s just a cool experience.”

During the rally, while wearing his signature, red Make America Great Again baseball cap, Trump said a major change is needed. "Elect me and you will be proud of your president and proud of your country again," he said. "The people are tired of being pushed around and led by stupid people."

Trump said he would rebuild the military, take care of veterans, get rid of Common Core in the schools, terminate Obamacare, save Medicare and Social Security and protect the Second Amendment. And the crowd erupted when he said he would build a wall between Mexico and the United States with the Mexican government paying for it.

He urged Delaware residents to vote in the primary. "You will remember this day. Delaware wins again and that's when America starts to become great again," he said.

On April 23, it was Sanders' turn, speaking before a large crowd at the Chase Center on Riverfront in Wilmington.  The Vermont senator, who was introduced by actress Rosario Dawson, drew a loud, enthusiastic crowd, speaking for more than an hour about the mission of his campaign and urging everyone to get out the vote in the Tuesday, April 26 primary.

He was greeted by fervent chants of "Bernie, Bernie" and "Feel the Bern."

"What this campaign is about is not just electing a president but creating a political revolution," said Sanders.

"The only way that we deal with the issues that are there is when millions of people come together, stand up, fight back and demand a representative that represents all of us - not just wealthy campaign contributors."

Voter information

On the Democratic ballot, there are three candidates to choose from – Clinton, Roque de la Fuente and Sanders. There are 21 delegates up for grabs, which will be awarded proportionally based on vote totals. There are also 10 Democratic superdelegates, who are free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination at the national convention.

A poll released April 20 by the Florida-based Gravis Marketing, predicts Clinton to win with 45 percent of the voters, compared to Sanders at 38 percent.

On the Republican ballot there are six candidates to choose from – Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, John Kasich, Marco Rubio and Trump. The winning candidate gets 16 delegates.

That same Gravis poll predicts Trump to win with 55 percent of the vote.

Polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Only registered Democrats or Republicans can vote in the primary, and voters will be asked for identification at their official polling place.

Cape Region polling locations:

• Lewes Fire Hall – 347 Savannah Rd., Lewes

• Cape Henlopen High School – 1250 Kings Hwy., Lewes

• Rehoboth Fire Hall – 219 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth

• Beacon Middle School – 19483 John J. Williams Hwy., Lewes

• Lewes-Rehoboth Fire Station No. 3 – 21194 John. J. Williams Hwy., Lewes

• Rehoboth Fire Co., Station 2 – 36027 Airport Rd., Rehoboth

• Rehoboth Elementary School – 500 Stockley St., Rehoboth

• Milton Elementary School – 512 Federal St., Milton

• Mariner Middle School – 16391 Harbeson Rd., Milton

• H.O. Brittingham School – 400 Mulberry St., Milton

• Cool Spring Presbyterian Church Hall – 28842 Log Cabin Rd., Lewes

• Shields Elementary School – 910 Shields Ave., Lewes

• Lewes School – 820 Savannah Rd., Lewes

• Harbeson Church Hall – 18636 Harbeson Rd., Harbeson

• Milton Fire Hall – 116 Front St., Milton

Reporters Maddy Lauria and Ron MacArthur contributed to this report.