The two were less than 1 percent apart with virtually all districts reporting. That means absentee ballots could determine the outcome. The Lee-Burris race was for the most part a gentlemanly affair. The two debated several times with hardly a hint of rancor. Mr. Burris and Mr. Lee agreed with each other on most issues and their differences at the margins should not cause a great divide in the Republican Party.
Primaries are about party loyalty.
Mr. Burris had the backing of the Republican convention and had the support of the big monied interests in New Castle County. Mr. Lee came out of nowhere with little money but a lot of grass roots support to give the power brokers a real run for their money. It appears that James M.Baker, the long time president of Wilmington City Council will replace James H. Sills as mayor of the state's premier city. The Democratic mayoral primary is tantamount to election in Wilmington where the Democrats have a three to one registration advantage. Mr. Sills had sought an unprecedented third term and apparently city voters thought two terms was enough.