According to the Sussex Countian, Republican Joe Booth was the overwhelming winner of the Special Election held today in Delaware’s 19th Senate District.
The election was made necessary due to the passing of a Democratic fixture, State Senator Thurman Adams, who died earlier this summer. Adams had held the seat since 1972 and daughter Polly Adams Mervine was among the four running for the post as the Democratic candidate.
The unofficial totals are as follows:
- Joe Booth (Republican) – 4,335 (63%)
- Polly Adams Mervine (Democrat) – 2,085 (30.3%)
- Matt Opaliski (Independent Party of Delaware) – 408 (5.9%)
- Wendy Jones (Libertarian) – 56 (0.8%)
Plus there were 10 write-in votes.
I noticed that Booth had a booth at the Delaware State Fair when I visited there last week, so it’s obvious he was quite prepared to run this race. And the overwhelming victory for a Republican helps to chip away at the Democrats’ Senate advantage. (it’s now 25-16; alas the GOP held a 22-19 edge prior to last year’s election.)
(Let me try that again, from the top. The Senate advantage for Democrats drops from 16-5 to a slightly less disgusting 15-6 while the House of Delegates will be 25-15 in favor of the Democrats until Booth’s seat is filled. It was a 22-19 GOP advantage there until the 2008 election.)
Since Booth is moving up from the House of Delegates to the Senate the same process could begin anew under Delaware election law, just on a smaller scale covering House District 37. (Although in my reading of the law this may not happen for awhile since the General Assembly doesn’t reconvene until next January.) In that case, the Democrats have the opportunity to place the House of Delegates to a larger advantage by turning the seat over to their side.
Most sad about this election situation is that the state Board of Elections website didn’t have the results. (Update: they are up now.)
