With just six months to go before the first votes are cast in the 2022 General Assembly elections, most incumbent state representatives and senators have yet to file for re-election.
The current legislative session comes to an end in November, meaning all 21 Senate seats and 41 House seats will be up for grabs. Candidates must file by July 12 to appear on the ballot.
Three of the state’s executive offices — attorney general, treasurer and auditor of accounts — will also be on the ballot. No candidates have filed for election to those seats.
The primary election will be held on Sept. 13, 2022 and the general election will be held on Nov. 8, 2022.
Two senators, Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Rehoboth Beach, and Sen. Bruce Ennis, D-Smyrna, have announced they will not seek re-election.
Two representatives, Rep. David Bentz, D-Christiana, and Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark, have also said they will retire at the end of their current terms.
The district previously represented by Gerald Brady, who resigned in February, will no longer exist after November. During redistricting, a new district was created in the Long Neck and Oak Orchard area of Sussex County to reflect population growth in that area.
Rep. Bud Freel, D-Wilmington, recently won a special election to represent Bradyâs district until November. He has said he does not plan to challenge Rep. Krista Griffith, D-Fairfax, whose 12th Representative District will swallow much of the territory previously occupied by the 4th.
Jane Brady, chair of the Republican Party of Delaware, said she has several reasons to expect more candidates than usual to run for office this year.
“First, there is a greater awareness of the importance of local races, including school boards,â she said. âSecond, there is a general and fairly significant dissatisfaction with the way things are — in the schools, in the economy and in foreign policy.”
The primary issues Brady expects Republican candidates to focus their campaigns on are education, the economy, public safety and government transparency.
Multiple attempts to reach the Delaware Democratic Party were unsuccessful.
Below is a list of each Senate and House seat along with the candidates who have filed:
Senate Filed Candidates
Senate District 1
- Areas Served: Wilmington North, Carrcroft
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Sarah McBride (D)
Senate District 2
- Areas Served: Wilmington Manor, Southbridge
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Darius Brown (D)
Senate District 3
- Areas Served: Wilmington
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman (D)
Senate District 4
- Areas Served: Hockessin, Greenville
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Laura Sturgeon (D)
Senate District 5
- Areas Served: Brandywine Hundred
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Kyle Evans Gay (D)
Senate District 6
- Areas Served: Rehoboth, Lewes, Milton, Dewey
- Democratic Candidate(s): Jack Bucchioni, Russ Huxtable, Ryan Peters
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Ernie Lopez (R)
- Notes: Lopez has announced he will retire after his current term.
Senate District 7
- Areas Served: Elsmere, Marshallton
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Spiros Mantzavinos (D)
Senate District 8
- Areas Served: Newark
- Democratic Candidate(s): David Sokola*
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: David Sokola (D)
Senate District 9
- Areas Served: Christiana, Brookside
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Jack Walsh (D)
Senate District 10
- Areas Served: Middletown, Odessa, Glasgow
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Stephanie Hansen (D)
Senate District 11
- Areas Served: Glasgow, Newark
- Democratic Candidate(s): Bryan Townsend*
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Bryan Townsend (D)
Senate District 12
- Areas Served: Delaware City, New Castle, St. Georges
- Democratic Candidate(s): James Welsh
- Republican Candidate(s): Bill Alexander
- Incumbent: Nicole Poore (D)
Senate District 13
- Areas Served: Bear
- Democratic Candidate(s): Marie Pinkney*
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Marie Pinkney (D)
Senate District 14
- Areas Served: Smyrna, Clayton, Leipsic
- Democratic Candidate(s): Christopher Gore, Tater Hill-Shaner, Kyra Hoffner
- Republican Candidate(s): Mark Pugh
- Incumbent: Bruce Ennis (D)
- Notes: Ennis has announced he will retire after his current term.
Senate District 15
- Areas Served: Harrington, Hartley, Kenton
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Dave Lawson (R)
Senate District 16
- Areas Served: Dover, Frederica, Bowers Beach
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): Colin Bonini*
- Incumbent: Colin Bonini (R)
Senate District 17
- Areas Served: Dover, Camden, Wyoming
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): Ed Ruyter
- Incumbent: Trey Paradee (D)
Senate District 18
- Areas Served: Milford, Lincoln, Bridgeville
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Dave Wilson (R)
Senate District 19
- Areas Served: Georgetown, Long Neck
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Brian Pettyjohn (R)
Senate District 20
- Areas Served: Ocean View, Millsboro, Bethany, Fenwick Island
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): Gerald Hocker*
- Incumbent:Â Gerald Hocker (R)
Senate District 21
- Areas Served: Laurel, Seaford, Gumboro
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Bryant Richardson (R)
House of Representatives Filed Candidates
Representative District 1
- Areas Served: Wilmington
- Democratic Candidate(s): Nnamdi Chukwuocha*
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Nnamdi Chukwuocha (D)
Representative District 2
- Areas Served: Wilmington
- Democratic Candidate(s):Â Stephanie Bolden*
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Stephanie Bolden (D)
Representative District 3
- Areas Served: Wilmington
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Sherry Dorsey Walker (D)
Representative District 4
- Areas Served: Millsboro, Long Neck, Oak Orchard, Angola
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Bud Freel (D)
- Notes: District will move from Wilmington to Long Neck in November.
Representative District 5
- Areas Served: Bear
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent:Â Kendra Johnson (D)
Representative District 6
- Areas Served: Carrcroft, Bellefonte
- Democratic Candidate(s): Debra Heffernan*
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Debra Heffernan (D)
Representative District 7
- Areas Served: Claymont, Arden
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent:Â Â Larry Lambert (D)
Representative District 8
- Areas Served: Middletown
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Sheraeâa Moore (D)
Representative District 9
- Areas Served: Odessa
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Kevin Hensley (R)
Representative District 10
- Areas Served: Brandywine Hundred
- Democratic Candidate(s):Â No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s):Â No candidate filed
- Incumbent:Â Sean Matthews (D)
Representative District 11
- Areas Served: Townsend, Kenton, Hartley
- Democratic Candidate(s):Â No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s):Â No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Jeff Spiegelman (R)
Representative District 12
- Areas Served: Greenville
- Democratic Candidate(s):Â No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s):Â No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Krista Griffith (D)
Representative District 13
- Areas Served: Elsmere
- Democratic Candidate(s):Â Larry Mitchell*
- Republican Candidate(s):Â No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Larry Mitchell (D)
Representative District 14
- Areas Served: Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach
- Democratic Candidate(s):Â No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s):Â No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Pete Schwartzkopf (D)
Representative District 15
- Areas Served: Red Lion, St. Georges
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s):Â Michael Higgin
- Incumbent:Â Valerie Longhurst (D)
Representative District 16
- Areas Served: New Castle, Minquadale
- Democratic Candidate(s):Â Franklin Cooke*
- Republican Candidate(s):Â No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Franklin Cooke (D)
Representative District 17
- Areas Served: Delaware City, Wilmington Manor
- Democratic Candidate(s):Â Melissa Minor-Brown*
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Melissa Minor-Brown (D)
Representative District 18
- Areas Served: Christiana
- Democratic Candidate(s): Martin Willis
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: David Bentz (D)
- Notes: Bentz has announced he will retire after his current term.
Representative District 19
- Areas Served: Stanton, Newport
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Kim Williams (D)
Representative District 20
- Areas Served: Milton, Lewes
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Steve Smyk (R)
Representative District 21
- Areas Served: Pike Creek
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Mike Ramone (R)
Representative District 22
- Areas Served: Hockessin
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Mike Smith (R)
Representative District 23
- Areas Served: Newark
- Democratic Candidate(s): Paul Baumbach*
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Paul Baumbach (D)
Representative District 24
- Areas Served: Newark
- Democratic Candidate(s): Ed Osienski*
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Ed Osienski (D)
Representative District 25
- Areas Served: Newark
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): Lynn Mey
- Incumbent: John Kowalko (D)
- Notes:Â Kowalko has announced he will retire after his current term.
Representative District 26
- Areas Served: Newark
- Democratic Candidate(s): Madinah Wilson-Anton*, Kelly Williams Maresca
- Republican Candidate(s): Timothy Conrad
- Incumbent: Madinah Wilson-Anton (D)
Representative District 27
- Areas Served: Glasgow
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Eric Morrison (D)
Representative District 28
- Areas Served: Smyrna, Leipsic
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Bill Carson (D)
Representative District 29
- Areas Served: Cheswold
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: William Bush (D)
Representative District 30
- Areas Served: Harrington, Felton
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Shannon Morris (R)
Representative District 31
- Areas Served: Dover
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Sean Lynn (D)
Representative District 32
- Areas Served: Dover
- Democratic Candidate(s): Phil McGinnis, Kerri Evelyn Harris
- Republican Candidate(s): Cheryl Precourt
- Incumbent: Andria Bennett (D)
Representative District 33Â
- Areas Served: Frederica, Milford, Magnolia
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Charlie Postles (R)
Representative District 34
- Areas Served: Camden, Wyoming, Woodside
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Lyndon Yearick (R)
Representative District 35
- Areas Served: Bridgeville, Greenwood
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Jesse Vanderwende (R)
Representative District 36
- Areas Served: Milford, Slaughter Beach
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Bryan Shupe (R)
Representative District 37
- Areas Served: Georgetown
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Ruth Briggs King (R)
Representative District 38
- Areas Served: Bethany, Millville, Fenwick Island
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Ron Gray (R)
Representative District 39
- Areas Served: Seaford, Blades
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Danny Short (R)
Representative District 40
- Areas Served: Laurel, Delmar
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Incumbent: Tim Dukes (R)
Representative District 41
- Areas Served: Millsboro, Dagsboro, Frankford, Selbyville, Gumboro
- Democratic Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Republican Candidate(s): No candidate filed
- Libertarian Candidate(s): Joseph DiPasquale
- Incumbent: Rich Collins (R)
* indicates the candidate is the incumbent.
Click here to view the House district map.
Click here to view the Senate district map.
Charlie Megginson covers government and politics for Town Square LIVE News. Reach him at (302) 344-8293 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @cmegginson4.
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