What do a former freelance wrestler, a real estate investor, a public relations specialist, and a chiropractic office manager have in common?
They are some of people who serve or hope to serve as Delaware legislators.
In Delaware the decision to run for legislative office, a part-time job with a part-time salary of $41,680, can require soul-searching and financial planning. Many legislators hold down other jobs while serving in Dover.
"If you look at the historical makeup of Delaware’s General Assembly during its three centuries of existence, you will find people from a wide variety of occupations," said Delaware historian and Milton resident Russ McCabe, a 2010 House candidate himself.
The crop of current and would-be legislators includes Mike Tedesco, a surgical nurse running as an unaffiliated candidate for the 34th Representative District, and Rep. Dave Wilson (R–Bridgeville), a farmer and fast-talking auctioneer.
Some of these day-job skill sets could come in handy in the rough-and-tumble of lawmaking. Still, managing multiple jobs, family needs, and finances can be exhausting. The challenge is compounded for members of the House of Representatives, who face a campaign every two years.
In the race for the 7th Representative District, both candidates have full-time jobs. Representative Bryon Short (D–Brandywine) is a real estate investor who owns apartment and office buildings in Wilmington. When he leaves Dover he puts down the briefcase and picks up a power tool to renovate the properties himself.
Short says the burden of two jobs is especially difficult toward the end of the legislative session, which runs from January through June.
“In the last month to month and a half, the vast majority of the time goes to legislative and constituent work, and my other stuff gets pushed to the side,” he said. “I do the minimum of what I need to do to take care of things. “
Meetings at Legislative Hall or constituent concerns come first, Short says. If he's too busy to take care of a property, he hires someone to do it.
Short’s opponent, Republican Judith Travis, owns a chiropractic business with her husband in North Wilmington. Travis’s husband is the chiropractor, and she is the office manager. Travis said if elected, she would work Friday through Monday on her chiropractic business duties.
“I do have a lot of flexibility in my schedule, so that’s why I thought I could do both things at the same time,” said Travis.
Kent County lawyer Ron Poliquin, the Republican candidate for the 31st Representative District, also says he can tailor his schedule if elected. Poliquin practices civil rights, criminal, and family law.
“It’s certainly more flexible than some other jobs where you absolutely have to be there from 9 to 5 every day,” said Poliquin.
James Westhoff has a 9-to-5 job as a community relations officer for the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT). He also is a Democratic hopeful for the 35th District House seat. He says he spends his lunchtimes in his car, furiously typing into his Blackberry as he crams campaign duties into a state worker's 60-minute lunch break.
Westhoff has to manage his time carefully. It is illegal for municipal employees to do campaign work while on the clock. Maintaining a firewall between his DelDOT job and politicking is “very challenging,” he said.
“Someone calls about a crack in the road, and then they suddenly ask about my campaign,” he said. “I tell them we can talk about that later.”
When he finishes his day job, Westhoff drives to Sussex County and spends his nights at home in Greenwood, coordinating volunteers, answering calls and emails, and trying to squeeze in time for his wife and two children.
“There are a lot of very, very late nights,” he said. “Last night I got to bed at 1:30 a.m.”
It's a schedule Westhoff will have to get used to if he is elected.
“It is difficult particularly for representatives because there is a third job we are in right now, which is campaigning,” said Short. “You have your regular job, you have your legislative work, and you have your campaigning to do as well.” House members serve two-year terms, compared with four in the Delaware Senate. The shorter tenure requires nearly constant campaigning.
“It’s certainly hectic," said Poliquin, "and there are a lot of different pressures to be in a lot of different places.”
Another priority is family. Short at least gets to see his wife while he campaigns. She's his campaign manager.
“There is a significant learning curve where you’re working constantly, and one of the greatest challenges is to make sure you don’t lose touch with your family,” he said.
On top of everything, the bills still need to be paid. Travis acknowledges that being the secondary provider in her household has made it possible for her to run for state office.
“If you are the primary earner in the family, I could see how it would be difficult to balance both,” Travis said. “I have the flexibility of not having that pressure on me.”
Westhoff understands the difficult fiscal balancing act.
“I have two little kids, and I need my job,” he said. “We need that stability. If in two years I’m out of a job it would be very bad for my family. But if I get reelected then I might quit the DelDOT job.”
Even with all these demands, legislators make time for some interesting extra-curricular activities. For a time, Poliquin took up freelance wrestling.
“I had a dream of doing it,” said Poliquin. “On a small scale to be able to do that was fun.”