Who is running for office in 2024? Our updated list of Delaware candidates, announcements

Elections are months away, but statewide and local races are already heating up across Delaware.

Before U.S. Sen. Tom Carper shared that he won't be running for reelection in 2024, others had already announced their plans for the 2024 campaign − with some as early as 2022.

Candidates vying for New Castle County executive and Wilmington city mayor have launched their respective campaigns, as well as a play for insurance commissioner. Matt Meyer also made his intentions formal in his governor's race announcement in early June.

As people launch various state and local campaigns for office in the coming weeks and months, stay up to date with us here at Delaware Online/The News Journal for a running list of all the respective candidates.

Val Gould begins campaign for New Castle County Council president

Former policy analyst Val Gould, a New Jersey native and University of Delaware alum, has announced their campaign for New Castle County President.

Gould currently teaches music at George Read Middle School. Before teaching, they worked as a legislative fellow for the State House Majority Caucus during the 2021 legislative session and as a policy analyst for the Delaware State Senate Majority Caucus during the 2023 legislative session.

Gould plans to run on the promises of advocating for sustainable development, creating more affordable housing and ensuring that land use decisions are designed to benefit historically neglected communities.

If elected, Gould would be the County Council’s first queer and nonbinary member.

“I hope to make my family, friends, community, coworkers and neighbors proud by leveraging my privilege to encourage responsible development and positive, impactful change for those who need it most,” Gould said. “I truly believe that, if we strive to uplift everyone, our communities and businesses will thrive.”

Longtime police officer to vie for Republican line for Delaware governor

In December, Price filed to run on the Republican line for Delaware governor in 2024.

Price is a retired New York Police Department officer, who moved to Delaware’s coast about 20 years ago. According to his campaign website, he later joined the Rehoboth Beach Police Department and has an extensive career in law enforcement.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate emphasized he would focus on insurance reform, nursing home financial fairness, drug crimes and rehabilitation, education and career readiness, and strengthening law enforcement.

“My experiences have shaped my perspective, and I am compelled to address the pressing issues facing our beloved state,” Price said in his campaign literature. “Health challenges resulting from my past service limit my ability to patrol and protect, but they have not diminished my commitment to the well-being of Delawareans.”

Dover veteran vies for Republican line in congressional race

Donyale Hall, a 53-year-old veteran, business owner and mother of 10, said she is seeking the Republican nomination for Delaware’s at-large U.S. House of Representatives seat.

Hall, a biracial African American woman from Dover who has run for political office before, said the platform she’s always run on resonates on any level.

She said she brings a “unique” perspective to the seat having served in the U.S. Air Force in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm; being a survivor of domestic violence; and overall understanding others who feel as though they have been forgotten or overlooked.

Hall also seeks to expand small business opportunities and improve the public education system.

“I feel I bring unique vantage points to the things that I feel are problematic with our government,” Hall said. “I’m just continuing to forge a pathway that provides opportunity for people.”

Carney considers mayoral run as Purzycki won't run for 3rd term

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, who easily won two terms as Delaware's largest city's mayor, announced he will not seek a third term, citing his age and desire to spend more time with family.

RELATED: Carney expresses interest in Wilmington mayor after Purzycki announces he won't run in 2024

Purzycki saw a city undergo tremendous economic development, while also struggling with ongoing crime. He previously served as the longtime executive director of the Riverfront Development Corp., seen as one of the architects in the development of the Wilmington Riverfront, and served on New Castle County Council in the early 1980s.

Former city treasurer Velda Jones-Potter announced her run for city mayor in March of 2023.

Following the news of Purzycki not seeking reelection, Delaware Gov. John Carney said he is "seriously considering" running for the office.

"Tracey and I have lived in Wilmington for thirty years, and I care deeply about our city," he said on Wednesday. "While I am focused on serving as Delaware's Governor, it's something I'm seriously considering."

Hall-Long announces run for Delaware governor

Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long has announced that she will run for governor in 2024.

Hall-Long, if elected, would be the state’s second female governor, following Ruth Ann Minner, who served in the early 2000s. She has spent two decades in public office.

BACKGROUND: Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long announces 2024 run for governor. To face Matt Meyer in primary

“There’s work to do to improve access to health care, create good-paying jobs, protect our rights and strengthen our education system – and I’m up for the challenge, because when you give a nurse a job -- that job gets done,” Hall-Long said in her campaign announcement.

Gay announces bid for lieutenant governor

State Sen. Kyle Evans Gay, a Democrat representing North Wilmington, announced in late August the launch of her campaign for lieutenant governor, resulting in an even more competitive race for 2024.

Gay was elected to the legislature in 2020, when she flipped a Republican-held seat. The senator previously worked as deputy attorney general in the Delaware Department of Justice before going into private practice. Her campaign video, which featured her two young daughters, focused on parenting.

“Delaware families know that raising kids is hard work, and it’s harder when the deck is stacked against working parents and working people," Gay said in her campaign announcement. "It’s what drove me to run for the State Senate, where I worked to pass bills that make it easier for Delawareans to afford the basics and raise a family."

“Delawareans know we have a lot more work to do," she said. "That’s why I’m running for Lieutenant Governor: to make sure Delaware works for working people.”

Eugene Young to run for Congress

Eugene Young, former director of the Delaware State Housing Authority, announced this summer that he is running for Delaware’s at-large U.S. congressional seat.

Young, who made the announcement in a campaign email, has been viewed as a rising star in Delaware politics for years. If elected, Young would be the first Black man to represent Delaware in Washington, D.C.

“I have a deep, abiding sense of commitment to the state and the people of this state because the state's done so much for me,” Young said in an interview. “So for me, it's about how I serve those men and women and families that make up this wonderful state.”

Blunt Rochester enters as front runner to U.S. Senate race

U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware’s sole congresswoman, entered the 2024 U.S. Senate race Wednesday, June 21.

Blunt Rochester, if elected, would become the first Black Delawarean and the first woman to represent The First State in the U.S. Senate – and possibly the fourth Black woman ever in the country’s history.

READ: Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware's sole congresswoman, will run to fill Carper's Senate seat

This announcement by Blunt Rochester has been highly anticipated, following U.S. Sen. Tom Carper’s retirement announcement in late May. The senior senator publicly called on the congresswoman to run – admitting she probably should have done so years ago.

Colleen Davis withdraws run for U.S. House seat

Colleen Davis, state treasurer, announced in July she would run for Delaware's at-large U.S. House of Representatives seat, but the statewide elected official on Feb. 28 said personal and family health concerns had prompted her to reconsider the run.

Davis, 43, said she was withdrawing from the race after she and her family went through "a great deal of difficulty," according to a post on her campaign's Facebook page. She said she recently learned that she had a genetic mutation that put her at an increased risk of cancer and has since had her ovaries removed and a double mastectomy performed.

READ: Democratic primary for US House seat down to 2 candidates after Davis drops out

"While I’m recovering well, this has all helped clarify my priorities at this time in my life," Davis said in an emailed statement. "That family, and our health, always comes first."

Sarah McBride announces historic bid for Congress

State Sen. Sarah McBride, the country’s highest-ranking transgender elected official, announced her candidacy Monday, June 26, to become Delaware’s next sole congresswoman.

McBride, if elected, would become the first trans person elected to federal office, catapulting the already nationally known politician to an even bigger stage. She would also be the youngest elected official Delaware has sent to Washington since President Joe Biden’s U.S. Senate win in 1972.

“It's clear that diversity in government is necessary for us to not just ensure we have a healthy democracy but also to truly deliver for people,” she said in an interview with Delaware Online/The News Journal.

READ: Sarah McBride announces run for US House seat to become first trans member of Congress

Retired U.S. colonel to run for lieutenant governor

Debbie Harrington, a retired U. S. Army colonel, will run for lieutenant governor in 2024.

The Middletown resident served in the Army for 25 years. In her retirement, she became an advocate for children with disabilities. Her daughter is visually impaired.

Harrington, who has run unsuccessfully for other elected offices, is a vice chair of the state Democratic Party, as well as a part of Delaware State University's Board of Trustees, according to her website.

She is also vice chair of the Middletown Police Advisory Board.

Dorsey Walker announces bid for lieutenant governor

Rep. Sherry Dorsey Walker, a Wilmington Democrat, has announced her candidacy for lieutenant governor.

Dorsey Walker, who officially entered the race on Juneteenth, would become the state’s first Black woman to serve in this role. The representative previously ran for this seat in 2016, coming second to now Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long in the 2016 Democratic primary.

“As Lt. Governor I will continue to be a boots-on-the-ground advocate for all Delaware citizens,” she said in her announcement. “My decision to announce on Juneteenth is symbolic of the advancements made by people of color, women, and those who seek the freedom that comes with change for the advancement of all mankind.”

New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer becomes first to announce bid for governor

New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer announced in early June that he will run for governor in 2024. He officially filed his candidacy on March 27.

Meyer, who has been county executive since 2016, previously worked as a school teacher, attorney, entrepreneur and economic development adviser for the U.S. State Department in Iraq. He didn’t have much government experience before leading the state’s largest municipal government, which has an annual budget of about $300 million.

READ: New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer becomes first to enter 2024 governor's race

He signaled in his announcement that health care, affordable housing and education will be key issues in his campaign, noting the state “needs to move with greater urgency to tackle” these problems.  Meyer has also been a polarizing figure. He has frequently publicly sparred with the county’s police union, which supported his opponent during his bid for county executive reelection in 2020.

Former DNREC Secretary Collin O'Mara first Democrat to officially file in gubernatorial race

Former Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary and current CEO of the nonprofit National Wildlife Federation became the first Democrat to file for the gubernatorial primary on March 13. He launched his campaign on the same day.

In his campaign announcement, O'Mara said he is running on a platform of fixing public schools; modernizing state infrastructure and economy; supporting working families and older Delawareans; addressing climate change; and passing amendments to protect Delawareans from discrimination, expand voting rights and widen access to health care.

MORE: Former DNREC Secretary Collin O'Mara is first Democrat to file for gubernatorial primary

Familiar face Velda Jones-Potter launches Wilmington mayoral campaign

Former city treasurer Velda Jones-Potter announced her run for Wilmington mayor in March of 2023, launching the first mayoral campaign for the 2024 election in Delaware’s largest city.

Jones-Potter unsuccessfully ran for the city seat in 2020, trailing incumbent Mayor Mike Purzycki by just over 1,000 votes in the Democratic Primary. Purzycki captured 42.9% of the total vote, compared to Jones-Potter’s 35.6%. Former City Councilperson Justen Wright also vied for the Democratic nomination, garnering 21.5% of the vote.

The former city treasurer’s mayoral campaign touts a focus on making neighborhoods safer, empowering Wilmington residents and using city resources efficiently. Those efforts include:

• Creating an Office of Neighborhood Development to work across city departments and ensure needs of all neighborhoods are met.

• Collaborating with community and city public safety to address challenges in policing, fire and emergency services.

• Improving the city hiring process to promote diversity and establishing policies that promote social justice and economic equity.

• Creating policies to ensure fairness, accountability, and transparency in all transactions involving public funds.

• Updating city facilities and infrastructure to implement smart-city technology and remove lead and other hazardous materials.

With Meyer gone, Marcus Henry, Karen Hartley-Nagle make play for New Castle County executive

Two familiar faces to New Castle County politics are vying for the county executive office.

Democrat Marcus Henry, son of former Sen. Margaret Rose Henry, began his campaign for county executive in April of last year.

Henry has over 20 years of experience in public service and has worked for the past three county executive administrations, including as the general manager of the county Department of Community Services under current executive Matt Meyer and a brief stint as the county’s economic development director.

He has publicly stated his intention to bring transparency to the position and ensure that the county remains “a safe and flourishing home for residents, and an attractive destination for visitors.”

The Marcus Henry campaign did not directly respond to a request for comment.

Karen Hartley-Nagle, current New Castle County Council President, announced her candidacy on March 24 of this year. She has served as council president for the past six years, with two left in her current term.

Hartley-Nagle previously served as a board member of Delaware Common Cause and the Coalition for Open Government and was a member of the New Castle County Board of Adjustment. She has publicly stated that as County Executive, her main focus would be on core services such as public safety, parks and recreation, libraries, land use and infrastructure.

Hartley-Nagle has come under scrutiny from her fellow council members in the past, and was under investigation for hostile work environment claims. As Council President she has focused on uplifting the county’s senior population and attracting business development to the area.

Candidate enters Insurance Commissioner's race

Kayode Abegunde, a member of New Castle County's Financial Advisory Council, launched his campaign for insurance commissioner.

Abegunde, a Democrat, previously lost in the primary to incumbent Trinidad Navarro, who has served in the role since 2016. The two will likely face off again in the primary. In his announcement, Abegunde said would "bring more insurance products" to Delaware and provide more options to veterans.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware 2024 election: Who is running for office?