Audio File
Delaware Public Media political reporter James Dawson examines the Delaware GOP's early effort to line up candidates for the 2016 Election
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Republicans are beginning to build their 2016 ballot, with Hans Reigle, a former mayor of Wyoming and Kent County GOP chairman, declaring his bid for Congress.
Reigle officially filed as a candidate in March, looking to take over as Delaware’s lone US Representative.
He currently works as assistant director for Delaware State University's aviation program. Before that, Reigle flew commercially for 12 years and served for 20 years in the Air Force Reserves and the Delaware Army National Guard.
He says he wants to see a resurgence in manufacturing jobs in Delaware, a reduction in the federal debt that currently stands at $18 trillion and more secure borders.
It’s part of a push by the state Republican Party to develop a bench of candidates, after typically performing poorly statewide over the past twenty years.
Last year, Treasurer Ken Simpler (R) was the first newcomer to win a statewide office since the early ‘90s and the GOP is hoping to build on that success.
Longtime politicians or experienced insiders mostly populate the current GOP field for higher offices in 2016, with state Sen. Colin Bonini (R-Dover South) declaring his gubernatorial bid last November.
State party chair Charlie Copeland says gains made in the 2014 midterms are bringing Republicans back from the blow suffered when Christine O’Donnell, backed by the Tea Party, upset Mike Castle in a US Senate primary, who then lost to now Sen. Chris Coons (D). That trend also extended to the General Assembly.
“It’s one thing to say, ‘Don’t be divisive, this that or the other thing.’ It’s another thing to say, ‘2010 was a landslide year for Republicans except, and the only exception was Delaware,’” Copeland said.
The numbers game isn't lost on Reigle, who notes he recognizes the need to have a broad level of appeal in a state where registered Democrat voters outnumber Republicans by 125,000.
“I have several Democrats in key positions in my campaign already and I’ve got a lot of Democratic support and people reaching out to me and wanting to help the campaign.”
Former state attorney general Beau Biden is considered the Democratic front runner for governor, but has generally withdrawn from public life and concerns over his health have other Democrats prepping shadow campaigns should he not run. Those include Carney, New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon and Attorney General Matt Denn.
That uncertainty, Copeland says, has had a chilling effect on who Republicans can field early.
"If I wanted to run against Beau Biden or Matt Denn, I would clearly choose Matt Denn."
But he says there are several individuals mulling runs for different offices already.
“It doesn’t really change my platform or my issues whoever the candidate that I might go against is," said Reigel. "There’s been a lot of speculation, but it doesn’t really concern me at this point in the campaign.”
He says his schedule is centered on meeting voters at community celebrations and preparing for a strong push as campaign season begins rearing its head in earnest later this year.