Ahead of Del. GOP Primaries: Sen. Colin Bonini
Tuesday will be a big night for Delaware, with voters making their choices in the primary election.
In the running for Governor, democratic candidate and current congressman John Carney is running unopposed for his party.
Sean Goward and Andrew Groff are also running unopposed for the libertarian and green parties, respectively; however, there are two contenders for the republican seat: Senator Colin Bolini and Lacey Lafferty.
In part one of a one-on-one series, 47ABC caught up with both candidates ahead of the primary races.
Senator Colin Bonini calls himself the “voice of common sense conservatism”: less regulation, lower taxes but more business and more jobs, that’s what the California native says he stands for.
He is a current Delaware state senator representing District 16, and he’s been in Delaware politics for more than 20 years. That experience, he says, is what makes him the better qualified republican candidate for governor of Delaware.
“The big thing is, I’ve done it. Lots of people talk about being a conservative leader. Lots of people talk about…oh, I don’t support this. I don’t support that. I’ve done it,” says Senator Bonini.
According to Senator Bonini, “it’s all about the economy” and he argues Delaware’s is among the worst on the East Coast and possibly in the country. In a one-on-one interview with 47ABC, he also noted public schools are failing to meet the needs of students.
“Whatever you look at…whether it’s the economy, whether it’s the education, whether it’s crime, whether it’s quality of life, Delaware is heading in the wrong direction,” he explains. “I’m just really worried that if we don’t change course, that Delaware’s going to be in trouble.”
Fixing it all begins with a fixed and prosperous economy, he says.
Bonini says his work in the state senate speaks for itself, citing a recently passed legislation to bring more choices for electric consumers. He says it’s an example of how his consistency can attract more business to the state.
When asked why he was better suited for the republican nomination over his opponent retired state trooper Lacey Lafferty, he once again referred to his experience.
“I’m a conservative leader who can win in November with a proven track record and I think that is very different than Lacey…who I’m very fond of, by the way…but I think that’s a very clear demarcation that I’m proven and I can win,” he explains.
47ABC will air our one-on-one interview with candidate Lacey Lafferty on Friday at 6 p.m.
