​A just-released University of Delaware survey (National Agenda Opinion Project; 9/21-27; 976 DE adults; 911 registered voters; 847 likely voters; live interview) finds Gov. John Carney (D) running away from his opposition in his quest for a second term.  According to the UoD results, Gov. Carney would maintain a whopping 55-26% advantage over attorney Julianne Murray (R).

​The First State was among the last to hold their statewide primary, and we see Republican Party endorsed attorney Julianne Murray scoring a 41-35% win over state Sen. Colin Bonini (R-Magnolia) in the gubernatorial nomination election.  Ms. Murray will now challenge first-term Gov. John Carney (D) who is a heavy favorite to win in November.   Mr. Carney was re-nominated in the Democratic primary with 85% of the vote.
 
In the Senate race, conservative activist Lauren Witzke was a 57% winner in the Republican primary and she now advances into a general election contest opposite Sen. Chris Coons (D) who runs for a second full term after serving the balance of former Vice President Joe Biden’s term.  Teacher and actor Lee Murphy will now be the Republican nominee against sophomore Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Wilmington).  Both Sen. Coons and Rep. Blunt Rochester are prohibitive favorites in November.

​Primaries and runoffs are still on the political horizon, but July is a light electoral month.  Tomorrow, the postponed New Jersey statewide primary will be held, and a new extensive mail voting procedure will be tested as all registered voters were sent a live ballot.  The Delaware stand-alone presidential primary will also be conducted.  The regular statewide Delaware primary is the latest in the nation, scheduled for September 15th.  Stand-alone presidential primaries will also be held this month in Louisiana (7/11) and Puerto Rico (7/12).
 
July 14th hosts runoff elections in Alabama and Texas.  The important US Senate Republican contest between retired Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville and ex-US Attorney General and former Senator Jeff Sessions will be finally be decided that day.  Runoffs in the open 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts will also send contestants to the respective general elections in what should be safe Republican seats.  The original Alabama runoff election date was March 31st.
 
Texas holds a US Senate Democratic runoff and 15 House secondary elections postponed from May 26th.  From the latter group, nine Republican contests and six Democratic electoral events will finally determine general election participants.  The Texas and Alabama primaries were held all the way back on March 3rd. 
 
Maine holds its postponed primary also on July 14th.  State House Speaker Sara Gideon is a heavy favorite to win the Democratic US Senate nomination to face incumbent Susan Collins (R).  Three credible Republicans are vying for the opportunity of challenging freshman Rep. Jared Golden (D-Lewiston) in what is likely to be a competitive 2nd District general election campaign.
 

​Governor John Carney (D) announced yesterday that the Delaware presidential primary will transfer from April 28th to June 2nd, joining a cavalcade of states that have changed an election date or process – several are keeping their electoral calendar but moving to an all-mail election – in adherence to COVID-19 virus precautions.  The day before, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) made the same move. 
 
Unlike Pennsylvania, the Delaware primary is a stand-alone presidential contest and the state has only 21 bound first ballot delegates.  Obviously, former Vice President Joe Biden is expected to sweep all of the votes in his home state, a domain he represented in the US Senate for 36 years.  The Delaware statewide primary is still scheduled for September 15th, the latest such nominating election in the nation.