For immediate release, June 18, 2010
Contact: Larry Nagengast, (302) 373-5254 or larry@chipflowers.com
Jones-Potter overlooks Democratic voters, Flowers campaign claims
Appointed incumbent’s statements are premature with internal polls showing Flowers is stronger candidate
Declaring that the contest for the Democratic nomination for State Treasurer will be resolved by the voters, the Flowers for Treasurer campaign criticized the appointed incumbent, Velda Jones-Potter, for prematurely implying that the race for the party’s nomination is nearly over with internal polls showing Flowers as the stronger candidate.
In a news release announcing her political endorsement by the New Castle County Democratic Executive Committee, Ms. Jones-Potter said that endorsement gives her “a virtual stranglehold” on the nomination. Her statement also lamented that the two-way battle for the nomination requires an “unnecessary primary”, ignoring the voters of New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties.
“Ms. Jones-Potter’s comments are insulting to Democratic voters throughout the state. Party leaders may make endorsements to incumbents, but in an election, the voters make the decisions that count,” said Dustin Parker, campaign manager for candidate Chip Flowers.
“As a candidate who has never received a single vote in an election for public office, Ms. Jones-Potter is showing uncharacteristic arrogance with her suggestion that it is unnecessary for members of our party to exercise their constitutional rights to cast a ballot,” Parker said.
“Ms. Jones-Potter also appears to have forgotten that she was the second Democrat to enter the race, and that was after she said she did not intend to seek election, so the only reason there is a primary is because Ms. Jones-Potter herself forced it,” Parker added.
Ms. Jones-Potter was appointed State Treasurer in January 2009 by Gov. Jack Markell, to fill the remainder of his unexpired term.
“To suggest that a political endorsement by party leaders from New Castle County provides her with “a virtual stranglehold” on the nomination ignores recent party history,” Parker said. In the 2008 gubernatorial race, the party leadership backed Lt. Gov. John Carney for the nomination, but it was Markell, running without the support of party leaders, who won the primary and then the general election.
“The race for the Democratic nomination for State Treasurer is a battle of ideas, not of political endorsements. The votes that count are the ones Democrats will cast in the primary on Sept. 14, when they determine which candidate has the better ideas,” candidate Flowers said. “Democrats believe in the power of the ballot box. Elections are not meant to be unnecessary inconveniences for those who would rather receive an appointment than to engage in a rigorous debate and discussion of ideas.”
Flowers has developed a comprehensive proposal for strengthening the operations of the State Treasurer’s office. That proposal, called the Flowers Framework, is available online at www.chipflowers.com. Ms. Jones-Potter’s endorsement-studded website, votevelda.com, includes a brief, four-paragraph summary of campaign issues. As of this date Ms. Jones-Potter has not responded to initiatives from the Flowers campaign to discuss scheduling campaign debates.
Flowers, a Wilmington attorney and longtime Democratic political analyst who lives in Middletown, is founder and managing member of the Flowers Counsel Group, LLC, which advises major businesses on contractual agreements for major purchases and mergers and acquisitions. His global and Fortune 500 clients include DuPont, AstraZeneca, Bank of America, Barclay’s Bank Delaware, ING Bank FSB, Harvard University and the Buccini/Pollin Group.
