Democrat Kowalko apologizes for attacks on legislators over minimum wage
Two county officials for the Delaware Republican Party are in hot water over remarks made in social media. Meanwhile, a Democratic state representative apologized for an Email attacking those who voted to not increase the minimum wage.
Chris Rowe, a mortgage broker who chairs the New Castle County GOP resigned from his post.
Rowe and Sussex Vice-Chair Nelly Jordan made what fellow Republicans described as anti-semitic and homophobic posts. The posts led the Delaware House Republican Caucus to demand an apology and for the officials to step down. (See below).
Delaware GOP Chair Jane Brady indicated that Rowe could have been removed from his post, since he was appointed. Jordan was elected to her post but has the choice of resigning or being voted.
The remarks are more bad news for the state party, which wants to deliver a mainstream small government, pro-business message while coping with a Democratic Party edge in voter registrations.
Meanwhile, a Democratic legislator also had a bad day. Outspoken state Rep. John Kowalko, issued an apology after what was described by WDEL as a cussword filled Email attacking Democrats and Republicans who did not support changes in the minimum Kowalko was unhappy with legislators who decided not to take up the issue in the past session.
BlueDelaware , a liberal blog, published a post that included screen captures of the remarks that had Rowe using the homophobic word “faggot” over a failure to post a video on YouTube of a church member who fatally shot a gunman at the place of worship Rowe is a staunch gun rights advocate and opponent of gun-free zones. YouTube has a policy of not posting shooting videos.
Separately, Jordan posted her thoughts on impeachment that included this passage:
“What amazes me the most in these theatrical Congress hearings, is to see how many Jews ‘In Name Only’ lend themselves to be in the hoaks (sic) of the pure made up story of Impeachment that the Democrats have woven as spiders catching flies and bugs.
The spider term has been linked to anti-semitic writings and art.
GOP Chair Jane Brady, a former judge and Attorney General in Delaware issued the following statement on Facebook that announced Rowe’s resignation.
Facebook commenters complained about Democrats making too much of a fuss over private comments from the two officials.
Rowe posted the following explanation of the situation on the New Castle County GOP’s Facebook page calling his remarks locker room talk and refusing to apologize.
The remarks had been making the rounds in political circles in recent days with James Spadola, a Republican candidate for a Wilmington City Council seat seeking the resignations. Spadola had earlier lost a race for State Auditor.
Later, Delaware House Republicans issued the following:
Nearly a decade ago, the Delaware GOP was hammered by the primary victory of Christine O’Donnell over party mainstay U.S. Rep. Mike Castle, who was seeking a seemingly guaranteed. Senate term. Instead, Chris Coons was elected and is now seeking another term.
More bad news for Republicans came in 2018 when progressive Democrats won out over northern Delaware incumbents. The liberal leanings are of concern to some centrist Democrats worried that the party is tilting toward an anti-business, social justice agenda to the exclusion of economic growth.
The Delaware GOP has not seen a moderate emerge in a leadership role. One nearby example is Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who was re-elected to a second and final term.
