Delaware Speaks: Obama Wins, My Ford Focus Loses

I stayed up late to see the California primary results come in, for no good reason that I can articulate as I sit here this morning. Good job by Senator Obama. To come from as far behind as he did to a virtual draw in delegates in a matter of just a few weeks is remarkable. And I thought the tone Senator Clinton struck last night was very good. I am obviously for Senator Obama and am proud of how well he did here in Delaware, but we Democrats are going to be in good shape in November with either of our candidates at the top of the ticket.

I have only glanced at the Delaware numbers, but I think they are interesting in terms of what they portend for the state’s September Democratic primary. Total statewide Democratic vote yesterday was 96,341—an increase of almost exactly 200% over the number of people who turned out to vote in my primary election in 2004. But the increase in turnout accelerated dramatically as the polling places got further south. In the City of Wilmington, turnout increased over 2004 by between 83% and 98%. Some of the other suburban New Castle County RDs were up by similar amounts--RD 13 up by 93%, RD 17 up by 86%. But several other New Castle County RDs had much higher turnout bumps--RD 25 up 240%, RD 15 up 473%. And the districts that really took off were the districts in Kent and Sussex County whose primary turnout is traditionally low compared to their populations--RD 31 (Dover) was up by 320%, RD 35 (Milford) up by 570%, RD 41 (furthest south RD in the state) up by 537%, RD 14 (Rehoboth) up by 590%. The net result: turnout in Kent and Sussex County was 27% of the statewide total, as opposed to the average figure of about 20%. The message is that people in Kent and Sussex County will vote in Democratic primaries in much higher numbers if they think a lot is at stake.

I intend to make this an election where people realize that a lot is at stake. I can already hear the Ford Focus groaning as it contemplates what this means for the Denn campaign.