Tom Gordon files paperwork to run for New Castle County Executive
It is no longer just testing the political waters or sending up a trial balloon.
Former New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon wants his old job back: He has filed papers to run for County Executive.
With a three-man race for the Democratic nomination for New Castle County Executive (Current country executive Paul Clark. Bill Shahan, and Gordon), I could see the race ricocheting in several directions. Would Gordon's entry split the anti-development, anti-Clark vote, thereby almost ensuring a Clark victory? Or would anti-Clark, anti-development people eventually coalesce around the man they regard as the stronger, anti-Clark candidate.? Or might voters decide Gordon represents the biggest menace, so they grudgingly go with the incumbent, Clark? Or are we now removed sufficient years from the Gordon era that a nostalgia could waft through the political environment, with people longing for the seeming economic stability of the Gordon years? (Somewhat like nostalgic Russians putting Putin back in office, no matter the corruption!). Or could voters conclude a pox on BOTH their houses (Gordon and Clark), enough of the ethical lapses and political patronage... let's go with Bill Shahan?
Of course, the Republican in the race - Mark Blake, President of the Greater Hockessin Area Development Association - has to be delighted that the Democrats likely face a contentious, three-way battle.
Longtime Delaware political observer, and Delaware State Chamber of Commerce Vice President, Rich Heffron, looks at the various angles of the County Executive's race...
The humorous part of this will be all of the citizens in NCCo who question why someone like Marion Barry can be re-elected will vote for Gordon. You know the entire labor force of NCCo will vote for him. It was the land of milk and honey when he was in office for the workers.
Mike from Delaware
Mon, May 21, 2012 5:05pm
Well just maybe the Republican candidate might stand a chance of winning. Has NCC government ever been led by a member of the GOP? Might be a nice change. I didn't have a problem with Chris Coons or Paul Clark, as Clark's wife stepped down from her law firm ending the conflict of interest issue.
When all the nonsense that went on in the Gordon administration came out including Sherry Freeberry, his never raising taxes didn't look so good.
The idea is to run an honest government that serves the people and IF you can do that and NOT have to raise taxes, all the better. So maybe we'll have a real competition and we'll see if people in NCC are so dumb that they re-elect Gordon. He took a plea, that means he was guilty. We aren't supposed to deliberately put dishonest folks in government; they're supposed to go in "honest" and then be corrupted the old-fashioned way by money greasing their palms.
JimH
Mon, May 21, 2012 6:40pm
You have to go back to the beginning years of County Council-style government in NCCo to find Republicans in control of the County Executive office. Rick Collins, who had been state auditor, had a shot at it. Pretty much ended his political career (getting drunk and throwing a beer can at a Maryland cop didn't help either!) Then there was Rita Justice. Even lied about the color of her eyes and the birthdate on her driver's license. And her husband, the DelDOT secretary, was removed from office on corruption charges. Of course, the Democrats also had one of their own as county executive, who was removed from office by the Democratic Governor and did prison time. And I voted for him!
Electing the Republican candidate may not ensure clean government, but he does have to be better than Tom Gordon.
spktruth
Mon, May 21, 2012 6:43pm
I predict Tom Gordon will win despite the erroneous charges leveled against him by US Attorney Colm Connelly! Connelly, appointed by George Bush to go after Democrats who were respected and might consider going for a higher office, couldn't make his case; that's why the case was dismissed! There was no conviction; there was no trial. Connelly lost a judgeship over it. We need Gordon, who has proven leadership, to be the next County Executive. To Allan Loudell, why didn't you post the results of the poll done by WDEL, where I believe Gordon won the poll by 98.6%? Doesn't that tell you what the citizens want!
mrpizza
Mon, May 21, 2012 8:41pm
Stale toast for breakfast, anybody?
kavips
Mon, May 21, 2012 10:10pm
Gordon was impressive at first, got to hand it to him. His moratorium on all new development was a bold move; that forced planning issues to be resolved on a faster timescale, and from then we went forward with the Unified Development Code. Which is better than anarchy.
He went off course when he stumbled across a patch of berries that were free, and something not good took over him. Anyone who works during that later time frame, can remember that fear, and intimidation, were the way things got done. That effectively stifled any options for alternative viewpoints, and the entire structure of county government became stale and smelled like mold.
Hope those were some good berries.
He was lucky because his reign fell in alignment with that of Clinton, and because of national Democratic policy, everyone during those Golden Years did well. The growth that fueled his successful management of New Castle County is gone, and won't be coming back.
Third, beware of old people coming back to again take reins of power. Historically, they are no good. Anytime someone makes the attempt I am reminded of Hindenberg, a well-loved antique of a former great statesman, running on a double ticket with Hitler, then getting moved quickly off to the side after the election.
So, Gordon, will, in his old age, most likely become the pawn of someone... whether or not, they are selling berries at no cost.
kavips
Mon, May 21, 2012 10:13pm
Oh my. I just read the list of candidates. Did Bill Dunn drop out of the race and I missed that?
spktruth
Tue, May 22, 2012 1:40pm
My question still stands. Why didn't WDEL publish its poll where Gordon got 98.6% of the vote? Why does every poll, whether on Delaware online, and even the not so liberal, gossip blog...continue to have Gordon winning? Because people care about their property tax and sewer taxes, and Paul Clarke has raised taxes 5 times; we all know if he is re-elected, he will continue to raise taxes. He has no plan, and he has no business intellect for the job. The former suit salesman from Boscov's is way over his head when it comes to dealing with taxes, etc. Let all remember it was Paul Clarke who threatened his employee Mr. Krett who was "considering running"! Talk about an intimidator! There is a reason why police, fireman, county workers called Tom again and again to run...that's why he decided to get into the race! He speaks for the people, and we all know it. When he took office, the county was $100 million in deficit. When he left office, the county had a $100 million surplus, and still was able to fund libraries, build a new police building, and 911 Center, get paramedics the equipment they needed in ambulances. He took 10 offices, combined them into 5, and saved millions more. He was able to work with the County unions with a team approach with help lead us to a budget surplus.
Allan Loudell
Tue, May 22, 2012 2:14pm
The results are posted under the "Listeners Survey Archive". So they are "published".
The results to our "Listeners Survey Archive" are fun, but do not necessarily reflect a scientific poll. A candidate, or special interest, can skew the results, and that obviously happened here.
I've never referred to the "Listeners Survey Archive" in this blog and hardly ever check it.
Allan Loudell
Mike from Delaware
Tue, May 22, 2012 3:37pm
Spktruth: yes I did enjoy Mr. Gordon's ability to not raise taxes, but never heard a good explanation as to how he achieved that, then all the other stuff came out al la Freeberry, etc.
I also seem to remember that when Chris Coons took over after Tom Gordon, he said that Mr. Gordon had left the county in a real mess and that taxes would have to be raised. It seemed to be implied that there had been "creative bookkeeping" during the 8 years Gordon ran the County. Remember both Tom Gordon and Chris Coons as well as Paul Clark are all Democrats, so its not like a Republican was throwing mud at a Democrat or a Democrat throwing mud at a Republican these guys are on the same side. One is honest (Coons) and the other might better fit that oxymoron "Honest Politician".
So YES, I too want my taxes lowered, or no tax raised with all the services provided, etc, etc. BUT I want that done in an honest, ethical, moral, and legal way. I'm not willing to sell my soul to get it. I'm not at all convinced that Tom Gordon is able to do that in an honest, ethical, moral, or legal manner. Chris Coons is a pretty smart and appears to be a very ethical person, if he could not figure out how to do that while he ran the County, I doubt that Tom Gordon could either and meet my standard stated above for doing so.
I just now voted twice on the WDEL survey for which candidate I liked the best for Wilmington mayor, using the same computer, so Gordon supporters could easily flood the poll data as their system doesn't lock you out once an IP address votes. So the results about Tom Gordon getting 98.6% of the vote on the WDEL poll are totally useless.
mrpizza
Tue, May 22, 2012 6:46pm
Quite frankly, I wish both Tom Gordon AND Christine O'Donnell would go away and stop tormenting us!
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