Chris Coons for Delaware’s U.S. Senate Seat

Jerry Connor, political coordinator for Wilmington, Del., Local 1238, is working hard to send New Castle County Executive Chris Coons to the U.S. Senate to fill the seat once held by Vice President Joe Biden.

Many members of the utility local live in New Castle County, says Connor, a 42-year member who worked at Delmarva Power as an accountant and serves as the local’s treasurer and administrative assistant.

They know how difficult a job Coons has had managing a county that has seen its tax base and citizens hit hard by the shutdown of General Motors and Chrysler assembly plants. Says Connor:

Chris Coons had to make some tough budget decisions, but they were fair.

When Valero decided to close down its oil refinery, Coons worked with the state’s governor to keep the plant from being dismantled.  The plant’s new owners have made an immediate investment of up to $150 million to renovate the plant and perform maintenance work that will restore 500 jobs.  A minimal work force continues to unload oil from ships at the refinery’s terminal.

 Improving the quality of the county’s life, Coons’ innovative Safe Streets partnership contributed to a 12 percent reduction in crime by removing dangerous parole violators from neighborhoods.  He has opened two new libraries, added a new paramedic unit and station, while cutting millions in wasteful spending.

Coons earned Local 1238’s endorsement after expressing strong support for extending unemployment benefits, opposing right-to-work laws and passing the Employee Free Choice Act.

In a surprise September primary victory, Christine O’Donnell, a candidate supported by the Tea Party movement, defeated Rep. Michael Castle for the Republican nomination to oppose Coons.

The national media is now dissecting how a candidate like O’Donnell, with a history of well-publicized financial and personal problems, and extremely conservative positions on the issues defeated Castle, a well-respected leader in a politically-moderate state. Polls had showed Castle beating Coons in a head-to-head race.

Castle, a former two-term Delaware governor, often crossed the political divide to support issues important to the IBEW and organized labor, like fully-funding Amtrak.  He told newspapers before the election that the results would show whether there was still room in the Republican Party for leaders who are open to working with their colleagues across the aisle to get things done. 

While Coons is now heavily-favored against O’Donnell, IBEW activists are taking nothing for granted in a year of surprises.

A committee led by William Smagala, Local 1238’s registrar, is getting the word out to work sites, sending letters to members’ homes and producing literature to be posted on bulletin boards in represented facilities encouraging members to vote for Coons and other labor-endorsed candidates.