Delaware GOP selects delegates to national convention

Sussex County Councilman Rob Arlett was in good spirits shortly after being named as an alternative to the list of Republican delegates who will represent Delaware in Cleveland during the Republican National Convention at the end of July.

As the state chair for the Trump campaign, Arlett said he was looking forward to going to Cleveland without having all the responsibility of being a delegate. It will allow him to roam around, he said.

The Delaware Republican Party held its annual convention April 30 in Lighthouse Cove’s Baycenter in Dewey Beach.

The two main objectives at the convention were naming the delegates to represent Delaware in Cleveland and deciding who the party will endorse for statewide seats.

Arlett said heading into the convention, there was talk about making sure the delegates chosen would represent the will of the people of Delaware. During the state’s April 26 presidential primary, Trump received 61 percent of the vote, while Ohio Gov. John Kasich won about 20 percent, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz garnered 16 percent.

The convention vote on the list of delegates was quick and noncontroversial. Between the five convention districts, a total of 8 people voted against the list, while more than 280 voted for it.

During a brief break, Arlett said the list had been vetted before the vote, and he had complete faith the delegates would carry out the will of the people during the national convention. Republican rules state the delegates must support Trump on the first ballot at the national convention.

Among the 12 men and four women delegates are Republican Party Chairman Charlie Copeland; State Treasurer Ken Simpler; Sen. Minority Leader F. Gary Simpson, R-Milford; WBOC President and CEO Tom Draper; and Sussex County Republican Party Chairman Billy Carroll.

Simpler said May 2 his view of his role as delegate is to reflect the voters when asked to cast his vote in Cleveland. Given Trump's strong showing in the primary, he said he wouldn't be doing his job if he allows personal opinions play a part.

However, Simpler said, it would be foolish for any delegate to vote for the same candidate into perpetuity if there's a deadlock. The delegates were chosen to use their best judgement if that's the case, he said.

"The delegates have to have that flexibility," he said. "We can't leave Cleveland without a candidate."

As for the statewide seats, convention members chose to support Sen. Colin Bonini, R-Dover South, over retired state trooper and business owner Lacey Lafferty in the gubernatorial primary; former Wyoming Mayor Hans Reigle for U.S.Congress; and NAACP Central Delaware President LaMar Gunn for lieutenant governor.

In the race for insurance commissioner, the convention decided to let the primary choose who to support after neither Former Sussex County Clerk of the Peace George Parish or businessman and 2012 gubernatorial nominee Jeffrey Cragg couldn’t garner the required votes.

There will be no financial resources can be spent on endorsed candidates until after the September primary.