While general midterm elections in Delaware might not have been as controversial as the primaries when then-state auditor candidate Lydia York defeated embattled incumbent Kathy McGuiness – the first elected state official to be convicted of crimes while in office – the state auditor, attorney general and treasurer races were still significant.
For one, Democrats continued to keep a hold on all three seats.
As of 11:45 p.m., with 514 of 516 precincts reporting, the state Department of Elections published unofficial results showing that the two Democrat incumbents, Attorney General Kathy Jennings and State Treasurer Colleen Davis, as well as new Democratic candidate Lydia York, had won their races. The Democrats had publicly declared victory before 10:30 p.m.
These results also mean that every statewide race in Delaware was won by a female Democrat, including U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. (Every other Republican candidate, besides Greg Coverdale who ran for state treasurer, was also a woman.)
At the Democratic Party watch party in downtown Wilmington, Gov. John Carney and other elected officials like Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long praised the representation of women among these races.
“We call this the woman wave,” Carney said.
In an interview, Blunt Rochester said she was “humbled, honored and pumped” to be among the women who won their elections.
“Just being on the campaign trail and being with these women who are more than qualified, that have lived and work experience and brought integrity to the process,” Blunt Rochester said. “It was easy for me to lead this ticket because they were incredible.”
Here’s more of what happened in the state auditor, attorney general and treasurer races on Tuesday, and a few key things to know about each one.
Delaware attorney general
In the attorney general election, with 514 of the 516 precincts reporting, Democrat incumbent Kathy Jennings is predicted to keep her seat with 53.84% of the votes compared with her Republican opponent Julianne Murray’s 46.16%.
Throughout her term, Jennings has been known to take strong political stances on often contentious issues like reproductive rights. When Seaford attempted to pass an ordinance that critics claimed would limit abortion access after a Planned Parenthood clinic recently opened in the city, Jennings issued a scathing statement and sued Seaford on behalf of the Department of Justice.
As the top law enforcement officer in the state, Jennings also commented on the conviction of the former state auditor, stating that “abuse of office will not be tolerated in Delaware.”
In declaring victory late Tuesday night, Jennings returned to some of these top issues like gun reform legislation and reproductive rights. As she highlighted the successes of her previous term, the polarization of national politics shined through, too:
“Most of all, we fought, during the Trump administration and after, the ‘big lie,’ and we stood up for people everywhere, and we will always tell you the truth,” Jennings said.
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This is the second time that Murray has taken on a Democrat incumbent in a statewide office after losing the governor race to Gov. John Carney in 2020. The Georgetown attorney’s campaign in the last election cycle came after she sued Carney’s administration earlier that year over its short-term rental ban.
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In this year’s attorney general race, Murray pointed to that lawsuit, as well as another one in which she sued to force the General Assembly to resume meeting in person in 2021. More recently, Murray won the state Supreme Court ruling that struck down vote-by-mail legislation.
Presenting herself as a candidate who “backs the blue,” Murray was also endorsed by the Delaware Fraternal Order of Police and watched the results come in at the Delaware State Trooper’s Association Headquarters in Cheswold.
State auditor
In the only statewide race where an incumbent wasn’t up for reelection, Democrat candidate Lydia York is expected to come out on top. With 514 of the 516 precincts reporting, York received 54.21% of the votes over her opponent Republican Janice Lorrah with 45.79% of the votes.
Following the conviction and later sentencing of former State Auditor Kathy McGuiness, York’s platform focused on restoring the office to its “proper functioning,” and Lorrah similarly promised to bring integrity and transparency to the position.
While visiting polling locations and volunteers, York told Delaware Online/The News Journal that her top priority will be to stabilize and enhance the office of the state auditor.
“We’re going to do the work that’s required of this office,” she said. “Not just the prior administration, but even prior, all the work wasn’t getting done.”
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That means providing people with the information they need, York said. For example, she said she met with tenants of a high-rise building who knew that millions of dollars were allocated to improvements in their building, but they didn’t know where that money went.
“You should be able to see $9.5 million of improvements or maintenance, even for that matter,” York said. “So that’s how this office can help the people. And I think that’s what’s been missing for a while.”
Lorrah took a different approach than her opponent by touting her ability to challenge the government, pointing to a moment earlier this year when she filed and won a lawsuit against the governor for extending mask mandates in public and private schools.
Ultimately, York – who was backed by the Democratic Party even in the primaries – will likely become the state’s next auditor.
When introducing York at the Democratic Party watch party in Wilmington, Gov. John Carney thanked York for stepping forward and running for office.
State treasurer
With 514 of 516 precincts reporting, incumbent Colleen Davis was predicted to secure her seat with 53.65% of the votes, her opponent Greg Coverdale behind her with 46.35%.
Davis’ campaign leaned on her experience as treasurer, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when her office was charged with overseeing the distribution of federal funding. Some of the issues that Davis has focused on include strengthening state workers’ retirement plans and supporting Delaware’s students by expanding college savings accounts.
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Coverdale worked to appeal to voters on both sides of the political spectrum through his professional experience in finance, having worked with major companies like Morgan Stanley, TD Ameritrade and Merrill Lynch.
In campaign conversations about the fiscal health of Delaware, Coverdale talked about ensuring that Medicare is adequately funded so Delawareans can get the health care they need.
Staff reporter Meredith Newman contributed to this reporting.
Emily Lytle covers Sussex County from the inland towns to the beaches, with a focus on health-related issues. Got a story she should tell? Contact her at elytle@delmarvanow.com. Follow her on Twitter at @emily3lytle.
