Letter - Don Allan invested in his community

This week, I read James Reilly’s letter that spoke of his support for Bryan Shupe largely based on mischaracterizations of Don Allan. I felt it important to address what was written since I have also been following this race very closely. This is the first time those in the 36th District have had more than just one choice for our representative since 2010, and it’s important that the person we elect has integrity, cares about the community, and has a vision to improve the quality of life of everyone in our district. With this in mind, I was surprised by the campaign finance report, but for very different reasons. To start with, I found it strange that Bryan Shupe had amended his campaign finance report three different times since originally filing it, which is highly unusual. However, when I went into each of these reports I quickly saw why. In it it shows that Mr. Shupe has received multiple donations over the legal limit, and in every page of his report someone has been either crossed out or added in. As a two-term mayor of Milford who has had to file multiple campaign finance reports over the years, this to me is more than worrying.  

Another significant thing I found was the difference in small donor contributions (donations of $50 or under) to each candidate. Don Allan received almost 300 small donations, while Bryan Shupe in total has received less than 20. This means that although Shupe can brag about receiving a majority of donations from inside the district, it is likely he is going to be beholden only to those of a certain class, and not everyone.

I also thought Mr. Reilly’s choice to label 80 percent of Don Allan’s donors as outsiders extremely misleading. On Don Allan’s facebook, he clarifies that over 70 percent of his donations have come from individuals living in Sussex County, and 87 percent are from the state of Delaware. To me, this speaks volumes about how Don is running with a vision that unites people throughout the state, instead of trying to further divide us district by district with divisive language. Since the beginning, Don Allan has run on a  platform of clean water for all, a living wage, and better education for all children regardless of their ZIP code - things that matter to everyone regardless of political affiliation. I know that Don is invested in fixing these issues because he is personally affected by them. As a carpenter with a working class background, he understands how difficult it can be living paycheck to paycheck while providing for your family. I know that Don will bring a voice that is much needed in Dover, and he will fight for everyone in his community and throughout the state. That is why I hope you will join me in voting for him Nov. 6.

Nadia Zychal
Milford