With November midterms just months away, the Delaware Republican Party electrified the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center where they convened June 4, endorsed four candidates for statewide office and introduced a Rescue Delaware Plan.

The energy in the air during the weekend event was palpable, as the party sensed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to turn the state to a deeper shade of purple.

Sherry Long, member of the Sussex County GOP and recent Peg Hood Award winner, felt this to be a unifying moment not only for Sussex County but for the entire state. “Delawareans have decided that they want change, and to achieve this, Delaware Republicans are committed to unity and victory above all.”

After GOP Chair Jane Brady called the event to order, a number of speakers took the floor. The keynote speaker was election law expert Joanne W. Young. After addressing integrity concerns for the upcoming elections, she took a number of delegate questions in a lively discussion.

Each GOP region caucus heard from and endorsed the four statewide candidates running in November.

Contested offices include:

Representative for U.S. Congress: Republican Lee Murphy will be running against Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester. A native Delawarean and former teacher, Murphy said his main focus is to protect Delawareans from escalating crime and to introduce greater transparency in government. He believes things have changed dramatically in Delaware since his last run in 2020, feeling that significant headwinds will be facing his opponent come November, especially in terms of gas prices, inflation and low approval ratings for the current president.


Attorney general: Julianne Murray, an experienced trial lawyer and supporter of the police, will be running against Democrat Kathy Jennings. In 2020, Murray sued Gov. John Carney when he attempted to place a moratorium on short-term rentals, though the case never went to trial as the governor reversed his decision. Murray also senses a mood shift this year, noting a statewide focus on issues such as crime, more than political parties.

Treasurer: Greg Coverdale will be the GOP candidate running against Colleen Davis. Coverdale holds an MBA from DSU and certifications in four different finance-related areas from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the Harvard Kennedy School. Coverdale has worked in the financial services area for decades and currently provides financial advice to Delaware-based military members and their families.

State auditor: Janice Lorrah, an attorney who filed suit against Carney’s mask mandates in schools, will be running against Democrat incumbent Kathleen McGuiness, currently under indictment. Lorrah’s certification in forensic accounting will serve her and the citizens of Delaware very well as she advocates for transparency and accountability in Delaware’s government operations.

Marilyn Booker, Sussex County Republican Committee chair, said she was very excited about the slate of candidates. “These are highly qualified Delawareans who are ready and able to perform the jobs they seek on day one. They have a passion to serve the citizens of our state and will do so skillfully,” said Booker.

Other down-ticket Republican candidates who spoke included Kim Petters, a military veteran, and Ted Kittila, former chair of the International Section of the Delaware State Bar Association, both running for state Senate in their respective districts.

Republicans closed the convention by unveiling their Rescue Delaware Plan. The set of comprehensive policy proposals offers compelling solutions to for problems facing current Delaware residents. The GOP rescue plan covers such issues as economic opportunity, public safety, healthcare, education, taxes and more. To learn more, go to delawaregop.com/the-rescue-delaware-plan/.

“We believe the proposals in this document are supported by most Delawareans across all party lines and will lead to a better quality of life for everyone living in our state,” said Brady. “We need to make clear that the Republican Party will lead Delaware in a very different direction, which will help all Delawareans.” She underscored an issues-driven rather than ideology-driven approach to solving the problems currently faced by Delaware voters.

For Sussex County Republican Committee information, go to sussexgop.org.