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UPDATED

Rieley is winner in District 5 race

Greg Fuller, Alexandra Baker have leads in Sussex row offices races
September 13, 2022

With all precincts reporting, unofficial results have Sussex County Councilman John Rieley of Millsboro defeating Keller Hopkins of Georgetown in the Republican Primary District 5 race. Rieley had 2,511 votes (62.18%) to Hopkins’ 1,517 (38%). Rieley has served one term as county councilman. Hopkins is a member of the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission. District 5 is the area west of Dairy Farm and Sweetbriar roads near Lewes to the areas in and around Harbeson, Georgetown and Millsboro.

“People are tired of negativity and want candidates to stick to the issues,” Rieley said the morning after the primary. “People saw through the over-the-top and in-your-face style used by my opponent.”

Democratic primary voters had the final say on whether State Auditor Kathleen McGuiness should stay in office. 

After months of calls by Democratic leadership for McGuiness to resign following her indictment on corruption charges, followed by a Senate attempt to initiate her removal after a jury found her guilty of misdemeanor misconduct, the voters had the last word by voting her out of office. McGuiness lost to Lydia York, who captured 71% of the vote.

Following the primary results, Delaware Democratic Party Chair Betsy Maron congratulated York on her win.
 
“I was incredibly proud to see Delaware Democrats hold the incumbent auditor accountable by electing Lydia York as our nominee. While other efforts to hold the incumbent accountable have been stalled, Delaware Democrats recognized her behavior for what it was, criminal and unacceptable, and rejected her defiant bid for re-election,” she said in a statement. “Earlier this year, the Delaware Democratic Party endorsed a primary challenger to a sitting incumbent, citing a need to restore integrity, accountability and true leadership to the position and I am glad that voters agreed. I have worked alongside Lydia many times in the past and have never once questioned her character or willingness to do the right thing even when no one is looking. When Lydia is elected in November, the auditor’s office will be in good hands.”  

In the 6th Senate District race, newcomer Russ Huxtable also captured about 70% of the vote over Jack Bucchioni in the Democratic primary. Huxtable will face Republican Steve Smyk in November.

In Sussex County’s newest representative precinct – District 4 – Jeff Hilovsky beat Bradley Layfield with 60% of the vote. Incumbent Rep. Bryan Shupe, R-Milford, of Representative District 36, won his primary with about 65% of the vote.

Unofficial results for the two Republican primary Sussex County row office candidates show upsets of the incumbents. In the register of wills race, Greg Fuller of Lincoln, who served as register of wills from 2008-10, is the unofficial winner with 6,503 votes (39.09%), followed by Candice Green Wilkinson of Ellendale with 6,182 votes (37.16%), and incumbent Ellen Magee of Selbyville, who was appointed to the office in January 2021, with 3,953 votes (23.76%).

In the recorder of deeds primary, unofficial results show political newcomer Alexandra Reed Baker of Harbeson defeating three-term incumbent Scott Dailey of Lewes. Baker finished with 8,262 votes (50.61%) to Dailey’s 8,064 votes (49.39%). Baker’s first name was misspelled on the official ballot.

Neither of the row office candidates have a Democrat opponent in the general election.

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