Delaware Republicans too focused on national issues

I’ll miss Ernie Lopez being my state senator. He was at all times out there. He was at all times responsive. He did what he stated he would do. Ernie appeared much less dogmatic than different Republicans. The truth that I used to be a registered Democrat didn’t matter to him.

Steve Smyk and Russ Huxtable are actually competing for Ernie’s seat. Steve has been my state assemblyman for years. Russ is new to politics.

The few instances I reached out to Steve, he was not accessible. I couldn’t simply choose up the cellphone and name him. I by no means obtained a response to the e-mail I despatched. I do get every day emails from Steve. They embody COVID data and different updates. I recurrently get invited to his weekly morning coffees, however I’ve by no means gone to a type of – they’re not the identical as a private dialog.

When Russ introduced his candidacy, I referred to as and invited him to return to my residence. He did. He was accessible and he clearly understood our district and the problems we face. He truly had a plan. He wasn’t simply repeating nationwide Democratic Celebration speaking factors. I used to be the primary to jot down a letter in assist of him. I had prior expertise with Jack Bucchioni and didn’t need him as my state senator. I used to be very blissful to see Russ win the first.

Not like Russ, who’s regionally centered, Steve is in lockstep with the Republican Celebration’s nationwide positions. It is a downside for me. Amongst different issues, the Delaware Republican Celebration has had featured audio system that I discovered objectionable at their state conferences. Most notably, I used to be distressed once they invited Roger Stone to talk just a few years again. Roger Stone was convicted of a number of felonies and solely prevented jail as a result of his sentence was commuted. I imagine Oliver North only recently spoke at a Republican Celebration state operate in Dewey Seashore. Oliver additionally has a tainted felony previous. I imagine Trey Goudy was just lately invited to talk at a operate in Milford. Trey had been a member of the Home of Representatives and distinguished himself there by doggedly pursuing an precise witch hunt that went on for years and produced nothing at an incredible price to taxpayers.

No matter is occurring with the Republican Celebration nationally isn’t and shouldn’t be part of our native political campaigns. Inviting questionable and disgraced nationwide Republican officers and operatives to advocate on a statewide and native stage is one thing I discover problematic. Apparently Steve doesn’t.

We face severe points associated to speedy development and growth in Sussex County. They may require native options that transcend nationwide politics. Reasonably priced housing, out there healthcare, flooding, overdevelopment, waste administration and inadequate infrastructure (roads) are a number of the issues we have now to take care of. I imagine Russ is concentrated on all of these. I imagine he has extra expertise with reasonably priced housing than simply about anyone else in Delaware. I can be voting for Russ. I hope you’ll as nicely.