Primary Election Recap | DETV's The Agenda

the agenda is powered by Dart Delaware's Transit service moving forward [Music] how you doing everyone Kerwin Gaines here host of the agenda we are bringing a special edition of the agenda to you this evening yesterday September 10th the state of Delaware had their Democratic primary uh held and there are a lot of results that we want to review with you it was an exciting time for all of us uh political folks here in the state of Delware all those running for races all those supporting candidates in those races who was a lot got to get a pretty good look at um what some of our seats are going to look like right so because were're only Democrats running was Democrat primary so you know who's going to win the other part of that is some of the races like the gubernatorial race there's still a general election that has to occur and they have not won yet but historically the state of Delaware is a blue state so some people think oh well it's already done well maybe maybe not we're going to talk that we're going to talk about that and so much more this evening but I want to go through a little bit of a history lesson with you just a little one in 1965 the state the country went through the Voting Rights Act the voting right Act was passed now why is this important this is important because at this time people of color did not have the access and the ability to vote like everyone else all throughout the country especially in the Deep South the Jim Crow era folks were just not allowed to vote now in order for that to happen people had to sacrifice there were Lunch Counter stins there were hangings there was brutality there were stins folks were arrested water cannons were pushed on the folks just for the right to vote the thing that I the point that I think that a lot of people don't understand is that was not long ago your parents your grandparents your friends your aunts and your uncle may even have participated in this movement and it seems as though we don't either don't realize we're taking taking for granted maybe we've just forgotten we haven't been educated on the fact about the importance of the right to vote not only that importance but the importance to exercise one's rights to vote Kerwin why are you bringing this up why are you teaching US history in the middle of this broadcast and let me tell you why yesterday in the state of Delaware there are roughly 600,000 registered voters in the state of Delaware about 600,000 out of those registered voters only 12476 3 exercise their rights to vote that's it that comes to roughly 22% of delawarians of registered voters in the state of Delaware exercise your right to vote we're a million people in this in this state roughly a million people and that's it that's it so the question is why is that why are we now so Cavalier about our ability to vote it affects the outcome of Elections it also affects your outcome we're doing all of this to make sure that and you've heard the tagline that your issues stay on the agenda and we've brought you several issues throughout this season especially but not only that we've brought you several candidates to talk about issues that you may not even be aware of we did that not just because of ratings we did that to educate the voter to let you know how important it is for one to go out and vote so yesterday it was a shock to me to see that number to see the number of delawarians who felt that things were okay they're so good that I don't even need to participate in this primary we do so much in this state to ensure that folks get registered to vote it's very simple you can get it done online now you can uh use an app you can do it at the DMV I mean there's several places we even instill a right for early voting you can have mail in ballots there's so many ways to make it easy but yet we are not executing our right to vote now the major concern you've heard me talk about this on this program is this for me my major concern right now for delawarians is education is education if that's not at the Forefront of your mind in regards to your ballot choices you're crazy there's only 50 states in this great Union of ours just 50 and out of those 50 Delaware ranks number 45 in regards to education we are the fifth from the bottom they actually have us ranked as sixth from the bottom but we're fifth from the bottom we are a state of a million people we spend a great percentage of the state's Budget on education we have qualified teachers we stand for IT certified teachers we're building new schools of course there's not enough but we're making forward progress so what does that tell me that says this isn't a financial issue this is an issue of management bureaucracy the same old same when it comes to education in the state of Delaware frankly I know I'm sick of it so when making a decision the way to correct this the beginning is through our voting we choose we choose who we think can best fit this problem well why is this problem so important I'll tell you why this problem is important because it's systemic systemic to so many other issues in our State let's deal with that let's break it down in my opinion you want to deal with issues in regards to poverty and crime you have to get people working you're not going to get people working you're going to have these issues over and over and over again you want better schools get people working you're going to pay more taxes they're going to pay more property taxes why because they're going to start to buy homes those are going to filter back down to education that's one way there's several ways but if we don't have an educated Workforce if we don't have numbers that are above the 45th in the nation in regards to education I have news for you businesses are not going to come to our area they're just not going to happen they're going to skip over our state now it's great that we have Amazon and all these other Warehouse companies here but we want more for our children than packing boxes and shipping we want real jobs we want tech jobs we want manufacturing some of these great jobs that are out here in these country from small startup companies we want to bring them in and just not because of our incorporation laws but because we have people that can satisfy their employment needs and right now we as a State we're not demonstrating that not one bit so when you're not going to the polls and you're forgoing your right to vote you're saying you know what everything's okay I'm good with the way things are I'm good that the likelihood that my high school graduate meets the Prof efficiency standards of minimum education at the time of graduation is less than 10% I'm fine with that I'm fine with Newcastle County's economic growth being the same it was over a decade ago I'm fine with that it's no problem I'm fine with housing insecurity I'm fine with the growing number of people sleeping in their cars in parking lots all throughout the state I'm fine with that not because they have mental Wellness issues not because of criminal issues but because they can't afford a place to live that's something that legislation can control it's something that they can put a stop to but you're fine with that because you didn't go out and vote so it's not a big issue most of those people that are living in parking lots in their cars are going to work in the morning they're not staying out there all day so these are Americans that are paying taxes that are doing it right working their 9 to5 supporting their families but they're doing it from the Cozy confines of their Honda Accord and not their home it's absolutely ridiculous it's pathetic that we are a state of a million people which is an awesome test bed for programs and ideas strategies and we haven't come up once with one to deal with our education issues it's pathetic every time that a politician during this election on both sides Democrat Republican alike talk about one another not work together we have a child that's slipping greatly further down a path of illiteracy we have a family not making enough money to support themselves and have a home that is supporting a young child that's working their way through the education process which handcuffs our teachers even further even further let's take a look at this 20.3 of adults 20.3% of adults in Delaware have low literacy skills low literacy skills 29,000 adults in Delaware read below a third grade reading level are you comfortable with that I'm not comfortable with that let me tell you something folks let me tell you something if you think think that this pot of people that we are not servicing currently it's just going to go away you're crazy we are going to be dealing as a state with this Ripple of lack of education for decades for decades are you tired of the service that you're getting in stores are you tired of the service that you're receiving from Representatives take a look at your educational system that's why that's why Corporate America makes a decision when they come to this state when they come to any state do we have an educated Workforce especially in manufacturing and it why am I going to bring my company here if I can't find the employees necessary to complete the task and generate revenue for my company second I honor my employees when I move them to a new state I want to ensure that the educational system for their families meets a standard can we honestly say that right now in the state of Delaware that we're doing it I don't think we can so at this point I challenge all of the candidates every single one of them we need to find a way right now that when you take office in January whomever you are that education is at the Forefront of that agenda not just talking point points not cutting ribbons outside of schools that are failing but a plan to fix this I've moderated several debates throughout the state hopefully you watched you listened more than anything and I heard a lot of ideas being pitched but I did not hear strategy I did not hear strategy I heard promises I've heard talking points I've heard social media pictures but I did not hear a day one strategy for education and we need that and I'm anxious to review anyone who has one please come on the show and we can talk about it I look forward to having that conversation the other thing is Healthcare in this state we have to do better we can do better we're not doing well there either Delaware is one of the worst in the country we're 25th out of 50 states there's only a million people and this is where we currently stand a lot of people don't know that some of this information isn't being provided to you but take a look around people really look healthy nowadays you know your standard of good health do you see us as delawarians thriving in that category I don't think so and for every number we drop I can only imagine the millions that is costing us as taxpayers the millions that it's costing us now that being said said I'll be the first to tell you about willpower personal responsibility when it comes to health family history when it comes to health some of this stuff lies a lot on US Delaware as delawarians it does it does but when it comes to programs when it comes to ensuring that we have the necessary health care and doctors the availability of the health care and doctors being able to afford it it's something that needs to be discussed and that's what I want to see as a delawarean that's what I want to ensure for you I want to ensure that those numbers are dropping and the candidates that we're choosing keep that in mind because we are watching and we're reporting but more than that we have an expectation we have an expectation of Excellence we produce great politicians in this country we as IND delawarians President Joe Biden has been amazing whether you think so or not legislation has been passed just not as his tenure as president but all throughout the Senate the Delaware delegation is amazing they know how to get things done in Washington regardless of what party you stand by you have to admit we know how to get things done in Delaware but unfortunately we're missing some major pieces here and right now as of today on September 11th this Monumental day for this country where so many have lost their lives and during that time the Swift legislation that was passed in order to fight terrorism was like none other we worked together as a country we pushed ourselves to do better and ensure Safety and Security for everyone in this country everyone we took the fight to the enemy we need to do some of that state side as well we need to ensure that delawarians are first and foremost at the mind this isn't about how many likes you get on social media as a politician this isn't about how this uh landed when you said something during a press conference it's about how important delawarians truly are and what you're willing to do for them no longer are we going to tolerate it it's time for tougher questions and I challenge myself for that it's time to dig in deep deer Delaware because no longer can we stand for it and I'm going to do better to ensure that this information is at the Forefront of every candidate that I talk to just not their talking points you have my word on that we need to be stronger and we will and we'll fix it and we promise you here at detv that we're going to bring that information to you we're going to bring it to you let's review some of the races from last night some of the results kind of talk through them please list your comments below I'll be sure to talk about them on the next episode and respond to them prior to and get that information to you last night Democratic primary winner Sarah McBride running for congress she won over 80% of the vote say what you want about Sarah McBride but I do feel as though she understands the issues she's ready to go on day one and I'm very proud of the process that she's achieved I'm I'm very proud of it and that she's working her way through it her competitor in this will be Mr whan representing the Republican Party John willan he's a business person and he's going to bring up a lot of good issues I look forward to spirited debate between the two of them I look forward to ideas about how to fix things for this state I really do the next winner for Democratic primary our winner was Matt Meyer Matt Meyer is the Democratic winner we are excited for him here at DV we are excited um uh because he's been great for the county we hope that we can Bridge all the gaps for with down in do and that he can do a great job if elected governor it's not going to be easy he's going against Mike rone Republican nominee November's a long way away Michael rone has been on the show a few times we know where he stands I see him as a very reasonable Republican I like the guy too I like them both I want to hear what their day one strategy is for education I want to hear that I want to hear the fix Matt has an advantage here he's worked in the classroom he has truly been a teacher in some of the hardest schools here in Newcastle County he gets it he gets it Mike Ramone is not a slouch in this area too he's passed some very strong legislation when it comes to education he's been working in the legislature for some time now he's a business person and more than anything he's a father he understands what's necessary in regards to education and economic development right here in this state both of these candidates do but I'm very anxious to know their thoughts I want it to be clear not just for me but for you as well but for you as well let's take a look at another winner our Democratic primary winner is Lieutenant Governor Kyle's Evan gay she is not she does not have a republican opponent I think she's very strong I think that the lieutenant Governor's race was very well done all the candidates stuck strictly to the issues they all knew one another they understood what was necessary and they tried to get that information out to all of us congratulations Miss Evans gay in regards to this win now another contested race a very strong race was that in the city of Wilmington and our current governor Sir John Carney went against Miss Velma Jones Potter anyone a lot of people think that this race had a lot to do with race a lot of people think this had a lot to do with development and progress of the city we're going to see we are going to see if that same leadership that Mr Carney has done for the state he can do for the city of Wilmington this is a completely different area although he is a wilmingtonian he understands he has a footprint here he has plenty of friends here and all in all is a very good guy but I'm I'm anxious to see how this goes next the county executive race Mr Marcus Henry did a wonderful job ran a wonderful campaign for County Executive Newcastle County Executive we look forward to that we also look forward to him being a bridgemaker between the state city there's still several issues several issues in the county he's going to need to be that Peacemaker and I think that he can do it I'm excited to see where he goes and what's he what he does but I believe that he has the ability to do it I really do I'm excited for what's next our Newcastle County president president of County Council Miss Monique John's a lot of people may have ruled her out she ran several different races here throughout the state was unsuccessful but in 2024 it is her year she is going to be the principal of sorts keeping County Council together I think that she's going to do a heck of a job she is a peacemaker the city of Wilmington members at large Miss Leticia bracie came through with the largest percentage of the votes Miss Maria Cabrera and Alex Hackett all guests of the agenda they've come in they've made statements they've lived up to the statements and You' voted them in they've done well and I look forward to them continuing throughout the city but we're going to be watching you have a new mayor new ideas new expectations but you still have the obligation all of you politicians do to ensure that the issues that are important to delawarians all of them stay on the agenda regardless of your affiliation regardless of your political action committee promises whatever the case may be it's Delaware First kerwin's recommendation kerwin's world you have to start with education you have to you have to start with Employment Development economic development in this state we need to be back on top there was a time when this County that we're in currently had two Automotive plants in it had Depon a Fortune 500 company had one of the biggest banks in the country where working in it you didn't want a job in Newcastle County it was hard because there was employment Galore currently we don't have that Charlie Copeland said last night and he's one of my pundits and sometimes we disagree but in this case we agreed the county just isn't growing we're at the same rate of Economic Development is we were over a decade ago when are you going to be get mad at that when are you going to make it clear that your vote matters because so many people sacrifice for that boat I gave you some evidence of that gave you a little history lesson of that it's almost as though we've become complacent very comfortable in the ways of the world our social media stream says everything's okay therefore everything must be okay it's not it's not in this great state of ours but the one thing I will say about Delaware is we have possibility we have so much possibility we can do great things here we just need the leadership to step in and get things done we can fix education I know that we can fix it because we've had great education in this state before we can fix that we can fix Economic Development without question without question there's a reason why folks are Incorporated in this state and it just isn't our our tax laws and our Chan courts and all that other good stuff it's because we're good at what we do and Delaware needs to be good again we can be good again I know we can so tonight I didn't give you a guest I didn't let them talk about their sound bites I wanted to give you my opinion I wanted to let you know where I stood and I going to do my best now to ask those hard questions make folks a little uncomfortable in here you have my word so for this week ladies and gentlemen sit back relax think about the folks that have lost their lives in September 11th think about the folks that uh didn't come home that night and those that gave their lives over a 20year war because of it thank you for your service to those who served thank you to those who sacrificed until next week Delaware we'll see you right here on the agenda [Music] [Music]