Delaware State News | by Joseph Edelen
Since the General Assembly was expanded to 62 members in 1965, the “Delaware Way” thrived as Democrats and Republicans traded party control of the First State.
During the years since, the state House of Representatives has flipped control seven times and the Senate three, though Democrats have maintained their majority status in the upper chamber since 1973.
The Delaware Way’s core tenants — its clublike, bipartisanship rooted in compromise and cooperation — appear much different now than it did in those days, however, as Democrats have maintained control of the governorship since 1993 and the state House since 2008.
Further, Senate Democrats held their 15 to six supermajority and House Democrats expanded their majority by one seat to 27-14 following the Nov. 5 general election.
In addition to having an advantage for simple majority votes, this means Senate Democrats do not need Republican support to pass constitutional amendments — which require two-thirds majority — while House Democrats need support from just one Republican.
Such a supermajority has stalled Delaware Democrats’ attempts to enact early and no-excuse absentee ballot voting into the state constitution in recent years.
Change
First elected in 2006, Rep. Danny Short, R-Seaford, entered the House chamber in the majority party before Democrats took control in 2008, serving as minority whip from 2008 to 2010 and minority leader from 2012 to 2022.
Since entering office, the Seaford Republican has seen the changes of the state House as it has welcomed more Democrats, many of whom who belong to that caucus’ progressive wing.
“It was a reversal of players, meaning the party side,” Rep. Short said in reference to serving in the majority and minority.
“Even then we, in some instances, were doing what (Democrats) do now, which is, because you have such a significant majority, you almost have a mandate to pass bills irrespective what the other side wants to do.
“But I knew people on the other side of the aisle, so it wasn’t my mindset to be adversarial or just run over people because of the fact that you had the votes. I mean, I’ve formed relationships, and still have some of those relationships with folks on the other side.”
Rep. Short added that, his interpretation of the Delaware Way is the commonality of lawmakers on each side of the aisle and their common ground, such as his own partnership with Rep. Bill Carson, D-Smyrna, as both men are past fire chiefs.
While those aspects of the Delaware Way continue in some ways and allow for common ground and compromise, some have questioned the mantra’s relevance and prevalence in the state.
Just this past election cycle, Governor-elect Matt Meyer was vocal about the uniqueness of his candidacy given the state Democratic party had endorsed Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long in the primary, a scenario similar to the John Carney-Jack Markell Democratic gubernatorial primary in 2008, which was won by Mr. Markell.
Self-service?
In his Daily State News candidate questionnaire, Mr. Meyer noted, “The traditional ‘Delaware Way’ is failing too many families… Fed up with unfulfilled promises, a lack of honesty from politicians and a lack of results for my students and fellow teachers, I decided to run for office. In my school, I saw public service. Among elected leaders, I saw self-service.”
The self-service angle of the Delaware Way was also echoed by former Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark.
Also elected to the House in 2006, Mr. Kowalko served in the body until his retirement in 2022 and has been outspoken for the state’s need to expand governmental transparency and accountability.
“The Delaware Way today maintains a matrix of hidden agendas; secret associations for the purpose of maintaining the influential status quo, the good old boys’ network,” Mr. Kowalko said.
“The prime example, again, is budget smoothing; the handling of (Freedom of Information Act) reforms, corporate giveaways; the Port of Wilmington debacle.
“These are all results of the back room dealing of the Delaware Way, and access to these back rooms are by virtue of how well-heeled you are. A Chamber of Commerce gets into these rooms, they walk into these rooms. The Corporate Bar Association walks into these rooms. Every high-priced lobbyist down there in Dover walk into these rooms.”
For years, Mr. Kowalko was a progressive voice in the House Democratic caucus, oftentimes challenging members of his own party, such as former Speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach.
The Newark Democrat described the way business was run in Dover as a culture riddled with “intimidation and coercion” that stems from “interferers with the benefits of the public.”
Mr. Kowalko remains an outspoken supporter for transparency efforts like an Inspector General’s Office, which he said “can look into undoing the influence of private groups” on the legislative process. Governor-elect Meyer has proclaimed his support for such a proposal.
A new Delaware Way?
While noting he is hopeful the Meyer administration will eradicate the “traditional Delaware Way”, Mr. Kowalko praised the work of lawmakers like Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton, D-Newark, Rep. Eric Morrison, D-Glasgow, and newly elected Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, D-Rehoboth Beach, for their commitment to changing how business is done in Dover.
“It’s only a matter of time before we wrest that control of the government from the Delaware Way and get into the business of doing things for the people,” he said.
For Rep. Wilson-Anton, she has two definitions of the Delaware Way; a positive one focused on lawmakers’ ability to sit in a room and discuss issues respectfully despite differing opinions, and a negative one that centers on a system that “feels like a monarchy.”
“(It’s where) there’s one person in control, and when they’re tired of being in control, they pick another person… then the next person comes in, and they’re the one who gets to be in control,” she said. “Any kind of questioning of that is seen as rude, or that that person is jumping the line.
“‘It’s not your turn, you need to wait your turn,’ that kind of mentality. I think that is on its way out the door.”
Rep. Wilson-Anton aided this point, comparing Delaware’s statewide election to the national election and a need to focus on voters’ wants and needs rather than party establishment.
But as the First State prepares for a changing of the guard with a new gubernatorial administration taking control in January, Rep. Short reiterated the maintenance of some of the core tenants of the Delaware Way.
“There is a negotiation that needs to happen in a lot of cases, and I don’t think consensus and compromise are bad terms,” Rep. Short said.
“You have to be able to have constructive conversations, and I do believe that we need to be respectful of each other. I tell my Republican colleagues, as passionate as we might be about a subject in our wheelhouse, (Democrats) are equally as compassionate about them as well.”