Senate candidates square off at Lewes forum

Candidates for the 6th Senate District seat faced a standing-room-only crowd Oct. 28 at the Lewes library. Discussion primarily focused on two issues – abortion and development.

Senate candidates Republican Steve Smyk and Democrat Russ Huxtable along with House of Representatives 20th District Republican candidate Dallas Wingate attended the event sponsored by the Greater Lewes Civic Coalition. Stell Parker Selby, the Democrat candidate for the 20th District seat, did not attend because of a family issue.

Smyk, who had served as representative for the 20th District until choosing to run for the Senate seat vacated by a retiring Ernie Lopez, downplayed partisan politics in his opening remarks.

“I am not a partisan person. I will take our voice to Dover,” he said. “I don’t vote Wilmington, and I don’t vote Seaford, I vote you.”

Several audience members took issue with Smyk’s past voting record against an abortion bill, and also gay marriage rights. Smyk said at the time of the marriage equality vote, most people in his district did not support it, so he voted the way his district wanted him to.

On abortion, Smyk said he voted against the bill because of safety measures that were taken out, which could affect the health of a woman seeking an abortion.

“If a woman wants to have an abortion, let her have an abortion. That’s her decision to have, and she should have that,” he said. “But don’t take away her safety.”

Huxtable said he supports a 2017 act that codified legal abortion under Delaware’s Constitution, and he also supports marriage equality.

“We just saw that the Supreme Court overturned [abortion rights] and put that back in states’ hands,” Huxtable said. “We need to make sure these rights are constitutionally protected. These are rights that I would certainly stand by.”

On the topic of growth and development in Sussex County, Huxtable said there are unintended consequences of growth, and more should be done in Dover. “We need to start electing local leaders here that will take that fight from Sussex County to Dover,” he said, drawing audible criticism from the audience. 

Others questioned Huxtable’s role as vice president and chief operating officer of the Milford Housing Development Corporation, an organization that creates affordable housing. “Community development is a little different,” he said, after someone asked him if he was a developer. “Affordable housing does need to be developed. It doesn’t just sprout from a magic bean … it does need collaborations with public, private, state and federal resources to be able to make affordable housing work.”

On water drainage issues involving a Milton community – Anthem – Huxtable said he has since resigned from his position with the Milford Housing Development Corporation, but he had worked with residents over their concerns. “Some of their concerns have been dealt with,” he said.

On overall county growth, Smyk said it must be managed better, and the focus should be on electing county representatives to do so. “Believe me, you don’t want New Castle County making any decisions here. They’re going to make us dizzy. That’s not what anyone wants here,” he said.