Sussex County Republican women present cavalcade of candidates
Kings Creek Country Club in Rehoboth was the venue for the Sussex County Republican Women’s Club meeting Sept. 26. This event gave an opportunity to hear from many Republican candidates running in the November general election. The overriding message from all of these men and women was the need to get out the vote.
Many of the candidates are familiar names who have been part of the political landscape for some years. They may be seeking re-election as incumbents or hoping to fill an empty seat left vacant by a retiring colleague, or trying to unseat a Democratic opponent. There are a few whose names are less familiar. Douglas Hudson is one such candidate, seeking election in District 4 for a seat on Sussex County Council. Married to his wife LoriAnn for 28 years, he is a retired police officer who was attached to the Major Crimes Division specializing in child sexual and physical abuse. A native of Bethany Beach, he was on the planning and zoning commission for two years. He is committed to the conservative values of the GOP.
Bernard Pepukayi is hoping to become the next attorney general. Although unable to attend personally, he was represented by Jane Brady, retired judge and former Delaware attorney general. She spoke of the challenges and achievements of this uniquely qualified man. As a teenager, Pepukayi found himself on the wrong side of the bars. Since then, he’s obtained his GED, went to college and on to law school. He has gone from juvenile defendant to defender of juveniles in the court system. He wants to be the face of change in the Sussex County Justice System to reduce the rate of recidivism.
Tim Dukes, running for re-election as a Republican representative of District 40, quoting President Garfield, said, “Now more than ever before, we are responsible for the character of the congress we elect.”
In all, they heard from 18 speakers. All of them stated it has been an honor serving the people of Sussex County. They are Rob Arlett - U.S. Senate; Bernard Pepukayi - Attorney General; Ernie Lopez - Senate District 6; Dave Wilson - Senate District 18; Bryant Richardson - Senate District 21; Steve Smyk - Representative District 20; James De Martino - Representative District 14; Jesse Vanderwende - Representative District 35; Ruth Briggs Kings - Representative District 37; Ron Gray - Representative District 38; Danny Short - Representative District 39; Tim Dukes - Representative District 40; Rich Collins - Representative District 41; Cynthia Green - Registrar of Wills; Scott Dailey - Recorder of Deeds; Douglas Hudson - County Council District 4; John Rieley - County Council District 5; and Robert Lee - Sussex County Sheriff.
SCRWC, the largest Republican Women’s Club in Delaware, has been actively engaging women in the political process for more than six decades. For additional information, go to www.SCRWC.net.
