Delaware Lt. Gov. Denn undecided about future

Beau Biden answered one big question but launched a host of others on Thursday by announcing his intentions to run for Governor in 2016.

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden said he’s decided not to run again for AG in this November’s election. Instead, he’ll focus on his newly christened campaign for governor in 2016.

That announcement creates a number of questions: What is the state of Biden’s health? Why did he make his announcement via emailed press release instead of going before microphones and cameras? Why has he not agreed to do any interviews about his decision? 

While Biden’s tight-lipped approach leaves plenty of room for political junkies to speculate on those questions, the announcement leaves a real world vacuum on the Democratic ticket for November.

2014 AG race

Some have postulated that Lt. Gov. Matt Denn would be interested in the AG’s office. In a statement to WHYY, Denn said, “I have been asked today if I would run for attorney general this year, and my response has been that, until [Thursday] morning, I hadn’t given it any thought.”

Denn is halfway through serving his second term as lieutenant governor. He served one term as Delaware’s insurance commissioner after working as legal counsel to Gov. Ruth Anne Minner. He said over the past year he’s been more focused on his work and his family than on politics or what the future might hold. “I’ve also consciously taken time to focus on being a good husband and a good father to my boys.”

2016 gubernatorial race 

The lieutenant governor’s position is typically seen as a launching pad into attemps at higher office. Governors Minner and Castle are two recent examples of lieutenant governor’s who eventually became governor.

But with Biden announcing his intention to run, it’s unlikely that any Democrat be willing to run a primary against the son of Vice President Joe Biden, a powerful figure in Delaware even before he rose to VP.

For the moment, Denn is noncommittal about the 2016 gubernatorial race. “Beau is a good friend and a formidable candidate and those are things to consider when making the decision down the road about 2016.”