McGuiness wants Sussex County success statewide

There’s less than a month before Rehoboth’s Kathy McGuiness faces off against five Democratic opponents in the state’s Sept. 13 primary, and, she said, she’s ready to take the success she’s had in transforming eastern Sussex County to the state level.

“I’m not the average politician. I’ve had to make payroll. I’ve had to bid out insurance,” she said. “I’m not beholden to anyone. I know how to do this.”

As a small business owner, a five-term commissioner for Rehoboth and a founding member of award-winning Rehoboth Beach Main Street, McGuiness said she’s running to make life better for individuals across the state.

It takes political will and political courage to get things done, she said.

Filing in September 2015, McGuiness was the to first announce her intentions to run for the vacant seat, and she said, she’s been in every county every day since then. Attorney General Matt Denn stepped down from the seat in 2015 after winning re-election in 2012. With all the work done over the years, it just made sense, she said of running for the statewide seat.

“No one will work harder,” she said. “I’ve out-fundraised all the other candidates. I’ve had almost 700 individual donations to my campaign. That’s a real grassroots effort with broad-based support.”

McGuiness, who was born in Dover and raised in Rehoboth, said traveling the state has been enlightening. After a monthlong listening tour with business owners across the state, she unveiled a 13-point jobs plan in June that would create a board to allow small business owners to propose ways to streamline the regulatory process; bring Delaware’s best business and public policy professionals together to look at ways to create a more entrepreneurial economy; and develop a second-chance employment program designed to help people get off unemployment.

“I’m the only candidate who is releasing real policy,” she said.

With six Democratic candidates for voters to choose from, McGuiness said her Sussex County neighbors are going to play a very important role in determining who wins this year’s primary.

“There’s a lot of people running, and I’m hopeful people show up and hit the Kathy McGuiness button,” she said.

The five other candidates are Greg Fuller, Lincoln resident and former Sussex County register of wills; Kent County Levy Court Vice President Brad Eaby; New Castle County Register of Wills Ciro Poppiti III; Sen. Bethany Hall-Long, D-Middletown; and Wilmington City Councilwoman Sherry Dorsey Walker.

The winner of this primary will face off against Republican La Mar Gunn, a resident of Dover, in the Tuesday, Nov. 8 general election.