By Tyler Micik
 
The General Election is on Tuesday, November 5th. Below is an overview of the statewide and State House and Senate races, which you’ll see on the ballot. All Delaware’s statewide races have two or more candidates running for office.
 
As for the State House and Senate races, only two Senate Districts (2 and 6), are ones in which the incumbents have an opponent. They are Democratic Senators Brown and Huxtable. In the House there are 21 seats up for grabs. Six incumbent Republicans are facing a Democrat opponent, twelve incumbent Democrats are facing a Republican opponent, and there’s three open seats (10, 14, and 21).
 
It’s important to note that if all incumbents in the House of Representatives, on both sides of the aisle, hold onto their seats and Democrats pick up the three open seats, that would bring their total to 27. This would be an increase in one seat from their current count of 26. Therefore, this increases their decision-making power, which is important for bills or actions that require a specific number of votes.
 
For example, a 3/5 bill requires 25 votes. Those bills include things like overriding a Governor’s veto and imposing or increasing a tax. A 2/3 bill requires 28 votes and includes actions like amending the Constitution or enacting corporation law and municipal charters. A 3/4 bill requires 31 votes and usually includes things like creating debts and appropriations outside the government.
 
Seats marked with an asterisk represent an open seat. Seats up for grabs are marked in red. 
 
STATEWIDE
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​STATE SENATE
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NEW CASTLE COUNTY

New Castle County Executive*

• Marcus Henry (D) – Won Democratic Primary and has no opponent

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By Tyler Micik

More than 120,000 Delawareans voted in Delaware’s Primary Election this past Tuesday. The full list of results can be found here.
 
The stage is now set for the General Election on November 5th. The policymakers Delawareans elect and the decisions that follow will impact the business community and future of our state. Of note, NCC Executive Matt Meyer beat Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long by around 9,000 votes to secure the Democratic Primary for Governor. Rep. Mike Ramone won the Republican Primary handedly with nearly 73% of the vote.
 
In the Democratic Primary for Lt. Governor, Sen. Kyle Evans Gay defeated Rep. Sherry Dorsey Walker and Debbie Harrington. She will face former Rep. Ruth Briggs King in the General Election.
 
In the race for Delaware’s lone U.S. House Seat, Sen. Sarah McBride won the Democratic Primary with 66,764 votes or approx. 80% of the vote. John Whalen III won the Republican Primary.
 
Out of the incumbent State Representatives and Senators who had a primary opponent (Reps. Bolden, Parker Selby, Morrison, Bush, and Sen. Wilson) all of them held onto their seats except for Speaker of the House Val Longhurst who lost to newcomer Kamela Smith. Rep. Bryan Shupe narrowly defeated Patrick Smith by 12 votes.
 
There were several open seats in the House. The results of those primaries are:

• RD10 (Matthews' seat): Melanie Ross Levine defeated Dennis Williams and Stephen Jankovic in the Democratic Primary and will face Brent Burdge.
• RD14 (Schwartzkopf's seat): Claire Snyder-Hall defeated Marty Rendon and Kathleen McGuinness in the Democratic Primary and will face Mike Simpler.
• RD21 (Ramone’s seat): Frank Burns defeated Michael Smith by 30 votes in the Democratic Primary and will face Brenda Mennella. 

Joseu Ortega and Mara Gorman ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary and have no Republican opponent. Ortega will represent the 3rd District (Dorsey Walker’s seat) and Gorman will represent the 23rd District (Baumbach’s seat).
 
Other races:

• Gov. John Carney will serve as the next Mayor for the City of Wilmington. He defeated Velda Jones Potter and there is no Republican candidate.
• Marcus Henry will serve as the next New Castle County Executive as he defeated Karen Hartley-Nagle and there is no Republican opponent.*
  
• Trinidad Navarro defeated Kayode Abegunde to win the Democratic Party nomination for Insurance Commissioner and will face Ralph Taylor.

 
Many incumbents won their primary but have a General Election opponent in November. And it’s possible there could be two open Senate seats after the General which need to be filled by a special election if Senators McBride and Gay win their races.


*This post was updated on September 16 to relfect that Carter Hill withdrew from the race for New Castle County Executive.