Delaware

Can Delaware Democrats keep ‘stranglehold’ on statewide offices and legislature?

Published

2 years ago

October 4, 2024

Can Delaware Democrats keep ‘stranglehold’ on statewide offices and legislature?

Murray isn’t basing that assessment on polling within Delaware, but rather on anecdotal accounts from candidates and volunteers who are knocking on doors and meeting with voters, including Democrats who might have previously slammed the door on the GOP canvassers.

“People are leaning more toward the center right than they have been historically,” she said. “So yeah, we do have a shot.”

She also noted the strife in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, which Meyer won over Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, whom the party endorsed, and former state environmental chief Collin O’Mara. The campaign featured political action committee-funded attack ads against Hall-Long because of her yearlong campaign finance scandal, and against Meyer because of two unrelated sexual harassment lawsuits against a county police leader and a tax assessment supervisor since Meyer took office.

“The gubernatorial primary was very, very contentious on the Democrat side,” Murray said. “I don’t think the Bethany Hall-Long voters and the Collin O’Mara voters are automatically going to become Meyer voters.”

Beyond whether Murray’s party has any chance to win a statewide office, the GOP boss echoed Katz in saying “there is dissatisfaction with the one-party rule” in Delaware.

“If you were to ask a [state] representative or a senator, particularly a state senator, the majority is so strong that there’s just not even a conversation or a different point of view,” Murray said.

“That’s a danger. When you’re a republic, you want to have different viewpoints on things, and the one-party rule has taken over so much that it’s difficult to even get the moment at the microphone to say. ‘Hey, can we think about this from a different perspective?’”

On the Democratic side, party executive director Travis Williams seems untroubled by the perception that one-party rule could stifle dissent and ideas.

“We are elected to these positions, right?” Williams said. “It’s not like we’ve taken them. The Delaware voters have elected Delaware Democrats. They’ve chosen to vote for us and they haven’t chosen to vote for Republicans. So I think we’d be a little more worried about losing those seats if Republicans put forth some actual policies that people agree with.”

Williams also said that despite the party’s unsuccessful endorsement of Hall-Long, leaders have pivoted to supporting Meyer as well as the rest of the Democratic ticket. Outgoing Democratic Gov. John Carney also backed the lieutenant governor, recording an advertisement for her candidacy. While Hall-Long’s political career appears over, Carney will remain a prominent player in Delaware politics as mayor of Wilmington after winning the Democratic primary for that seat, with no GOP foe.

“We don’t have a lot of time to get stuck on what happened in the primary,” Williams said. “We’ve got to come together and work to elect Democrats in the general election. We’ve met and are continuing to work with all of the nominees. And now that we have them and things are going well, we’re united and working together.”

He’s also guardedly optimistic that once the results are in, Democrats will retain all nine statewide seats, and perhaps even have that House supermajority.

“We are confident in the conversations that we’ve been having with voters,” Williams said. “We’ve been getting good responses from folks as we’ve been out and talking to people about the issues. So that bodes well for us.”

“But there’s still a lot of work that has to get done right? It’s a constant conversation. There’s work that we’ve got to do so while it does look good, we’ve still got to get over the finish line.”

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Delaware

The best Delaware high schools for athletes? According to one study, these are top 25

Published

7 hours ago

May 29, 2026

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The best Delaware high schools for athletes? According to one study, these are top 25

Tucked away on the East Coast, one of the smallest states has had a sizeable impact on the national sports scene.

Elena Delle Donne, one of the GOATs of women’s basketball, dominated the hardwood as a high school athlete, breaking Delaware’s points record. Chris Godwin, who has been a Pro Bowler and won a Super Bowl, was a top WR recruit and won two championships as a Delaware high schooler. Delino DeShields, a former MLB player, committed to LSU for both baseball and football.

Total number of sports: 16

1. Salesianum School (Wilmington)

Total number of sports: 15

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Delaware

Update – Suspect in Custody State Police Investigating Home Invasion in Georgetown – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware

Published

19 hours ago

May 29, 2026

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*Update – Suspect in Custody* State Police Investigating Home Invasion in Georgetown – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware

Date Posted: Friday, May 29th, 2026

The Delaware State Police have arrested 44-year-old Robert Berry from Millsboro, Delaware for a home invasion that occurred in Georgetown.

On May 15, 2026, at approximately 10:30 a.m., troopers responded to the 24000 block of Lawson Road in Georgetown for a panic alarm activation reported by a home security vendor. Troopers arrived and learned that the 83-year-old female victim had activated her panic alarm after an unknown male suspect, forced his way into her home as she opened her front door. Once inside, the suspect pointed a handgun at her and demanded to see another unknown person he believed was inside the residence. The victim was able to lock herself in a bedroom and activate her panic alarm while the suspect searched through the residence before leaving in an unknown direction. The victim was not injured.

Through investigative means, detectives identified Robert Berry as the suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest.

On May 28, 2026, Berry was arrested and taken to Troop 4, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $166,000 cash bond.

Attempt to Commit Robbery 1st Degree (Felony)
Home Invasion Burglary 1st Degree (Felony)
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
Possess, Purchase, Own, or Control a Firearm/Destructive Weapon if Previously Convicted of Two Violent Felonies on Separate
Occasions (Felony)
Aggravated Menacing (Felony)

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Disclaimer: Any individual charged in this release is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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49-year-old dies by suicide while held in Delaware State Police cell

Published

1 day ago

May 28, 2026

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49-year-old dies by suicide while held in Delaware State Police cell

A 49-year-old Hartly man died after hanging himself in a holding cell at Delaware State Police Troop 3 in Camden, authorities said.

“Video surveillance confirmed that while detained alone in a temporary holding cell at Troop 3, [the suspect] used a shoelace to commit suicide by hanging,” state police said in a May 28 statement. “When troopers found [him], they attempted lifesaving efforts, but he was pronounced dead a short time later.”

Police did not immediately respond to a late May 28 email seeking information on custody protocols or whether the suspect appeared suicidal.

In a May 28 press release, police said troopers were responding to a report of a domestic assault at a home on Misty Way in the Hartly-area about 8 p.m. on May 27.

Before troopers arrived, they were notified that the man had left the residence in his girlfriend’s vehicle. Police said he had an active arrest warrant stemming from a previous incident at the same location on May 22.

The vehicle was spotted by a Delaware State Police helicopter and a chase began, police said.

The chase crossed into Maryland, then returned to Delaware before ending at the residence on Misty Way, police said.

There, police said he initially refused orders to get out of the vehicle, and when he finally did, he resisted further orders from troopers.

Police said he assaulted a DSP canine they deployed. When he was eventually taken into custody, police took him to an area hospital for evaluation of injuries sustained from the dog apprehension.

The Hartly man was released from the hospital on the morning of May 28 and taken to Troop 3, where police said he was charged with several crimes, including strangulation for the May 22 incident and resisting arrest with violence and second-degree assault on a law enforcement animal for the May 27 incident.

Police said he hanged himself while being held at Troop 3, but did not specify when it occurred.

The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit, along with the Delaware Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust, are investigating.

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com. This is a developing story. Return to delawareonline.com for updates.

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