Democrats win big across state

Democrats won by nearly 60 percent to Republicans’ 40 percent in all Delaware statewide contests.

Gov. John Carney was elected to a second term with 292,161 votes, or 59 percent of the total cast, to Republican opponent Julianne Murray’s 38 percent of the vote with 189,724.

Candidates offered opposing plans for Delaware, with Carney standing by his cautious route for reopening Delaware as COVID-19 shows a fall resurgence, and Murray who had said if elected, she would end the state of emergency that has shut down swaths of the state economy.

"Tonight is a victory for Delawareans across our state. We came together and voted to follow the science. We voted to listen to the experts. We voted to keep our most vulnerable citizens safe,” said Gov. John Carney in an acceptance email. “Thank you for placing your trust in me to continue the job we started. We will continue to confront COVID-19 and focus on the issues that matter to every Delaware family – good jobs, world-class schools and great communities.”

The ballot results played out the same for lieutenant governor, insurance commissioner, U.S. senator, and U.S. representative.

Incumbent Democrat Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long defeated Republican challenger Donyale Hall, 59 percent to 40 percent; incumbent Democrat Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro defeated Republican challenger Julia Pillsbury, 59 percent to 40 percent; incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Chris Coons defeated Republican Lauren Witzke, 59 percent to 37 percent; and incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester defeated Republican Lee Murphy, 57 percent to 40 percent.

Republican incumbents retained their seats in challenged races in the 35th and 36th districts by a large margin. Incumbent Republican Rep. Bryan Shupe won 63 percent of the vote for his Milford-area seat over Democrat challenger Greg Fuller’s 36 percent, and incumbent Republican Rep. Jesse Vanderwende won reelection to his Bridgeville-area seat over Democrat Darrynn Harris, 68 percent to 31 percent.

Sussex County legislators who were unopposed will head back to the state Legislature in January, but the Senate will have two fewer Republican members after two upstate districts went to Democrats. Incumbent Republican Catherine Cloutier lost her District 5 Senate seat to Democrat challenger Kyle Evans Gay, 47 percent to 52 percent; and incumbent Republican Anthony Delcollo lost his District 7 seat to Democrat Spiros Mantzavinos, 48 percent to 51 percent. With the turnover of the district 5 and 7 seats, New Castle County has no Republican state senators; for the upcoming legislative session, the seven remaining Republican Senate seats lie in Kent and Sussex counties.

Kent County Sen. David Lawson was the only Senate Republican to win in a contested election. He won 55 percent of the vote to retain the 15th District seat over Democrat challenger Jaci Hugg’s 44 percent. 

Democrat winners in New Castle County have brought more diversity to the Legislature. The Black Caucus will have more members with Marie Pinkney, who upset incumbent and Senate President Pro Tempore David McBride in the 13th District primary before winning the general election; Larry Lambert, who ousted incumbent Ray Seigfried in the primary before his general election win; Sherae’a Moore, winner of the Middletown seat held by Quinn Johnson, who did not run for reelection; and Madinah Wilson-Anton, a Muslim woman who beat incumbent John Viola in the primary before winning the general election. 

Filling the Senate seat held by retired Harris B. McDowell, Democrat Sarah McBride became the first openly transgender state senator in U.S. history, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Eric Morrison, an openly gay man, won a primary over Democrat incumbent Earl Jacques before winning the general election for the Glasgow seat.

All three Sussex County Republican senators who were up for reelection won their seats unopposed: Brian Pettyjohn, Georgetown; Gerald Hocker, Ocean View; and Bryant Richardson, Seaford. So did unopposed Sussex County Republican representative incumbents Ruth Briggs King, Georgetown; Ron Gray, Selbyville; Dan Short, Seaford; Tim Dukes, Laurel; and Rich Collins, Millsboro. Rep. Steve Smyk, R-Milton, also retained his seat despite a write-in candidate challenge.