Delaware
Delaware voters face real choices in picking a new governor. Here are our impressions
5-minute read
Delaware’s 2024 primary election is upon us.
Voters in both parties have begun the task of selecting their nominees in the race for governor. Voting in the Sept. 10 primary began Wednesday, Aug. 28 and continues this week, running through Sunday, Sept. 8.
In recent weeks, the Editorial Board of DelawareOnline.com and The News Journal met with five of the six candidates seeking the state’s highest office. Each candidate brings strengths to their campaigns; each offers a different vision for the First State’s future.
In our conversations, each candidate acknowledged — and in some cases, shared — our ongoing frustrations about the pace at which legislation and change alike move in Dover. Most acknowledged that Delaware can do far better on issues like government transparency. And each of the five candidates we spoke with expressed a strong desire to move the Delaware electorate forward from the political polarization that has defined national politics over the last decade.
While we will not endorse in the primary race — most Delawareans in both parties already likely know their own minds, we believe — we do offer undecided readers these impressions of the candidates we interviewed.
Meet the candidates: These 4 statewide races have contested primaries in Delaware
The Democrats
Delaware Democrats have managed through a summer that has been defined by a highly competitive contest for the top of the state ticket. Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, the political veteran who enjoys the support of the Delaware state party and many other establishment organizations within the Democratic milieu, faces competitive challengers in New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer and former state environmental secretary Collin O’Mara.
An August poll, conducted by Citizens for a New Delaware Way PAC, found Meyer leading the race, with the support of 27% of likely Democratic voters. Hall-Long netted the support of 23% and O’Mara followed with 11%. Still, some 31% of voters in the poll, conducted Aug. 8, were undecided. A later poll found Hall-Long’s support slipping while O’Mara gained.
The Democratic race has been bruising, by all accounts. Hall-Long has faced bruising questions about her campaign finance and its history. In addition, developers unions and a New York compant with a longtime grudge have amplified attacks and pressure on all sides. The race has attracted considerable interest from donors — both in Delaware and outside the First State. In all, the campaigns have collectively raised more than $7 million, making the campaign one of the most expensive in state history.
Here are some of our impressions of each candidate:
Collin O’Mara
The former Delaware Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, O’Mara is a Bear resident who is now the CEO of the National Wildlife Federation in Washington. He left DNREC in 2014 and has waged an uphill battle with Democratic voters as a relative outsider.
That said, O’Mara represents a breath of fresh air for a Delaware Democratic Party steeped in custom and power. While Meyer and Hall-Long have gone on the offensive, O’Mara has preferred to position himself as a candidate who would challenge the First State’s long-held political norms.
We were especially taken with O’Mara’s interest in redefining the so-called Delaware Way. He supports — as do we — a rethinking of the way businesses is conducted in Dover both in terms of speed and transparency.
O’Mara also said he’d use the powers of the Delaware governorship — among the more powerful in the country — to set an agenda that would tackle education funding, increased investment in climate change mitigation and clean energy jobs.
Doing so, he said, would quicken the pace in Dover.
“There’s not a will to get it done here if there’s pushback,” O’Mara said of the dynamic between the General Assembly and the administration of outgoing Gov. John Carney. “We don’t look at the benefits, so everything looks more expensive but that’s weaponized.”
Bethany Hall-Long
The lieutenant governor is always happy to share the story of her Sussex County roots and how they have shaped her perspectives as a leading Delaware Democrat. In our conversation, she cited her long experience as a nurse, educator, research scientist and politician and said her background and her longstanding service to the First State would guide her as governor.
Indeed, Hall-Long’s command of the systems that deliver progress in Dover and Washington are strengths. Again and again, she mentioned collaborative efforts she’s mounted with lawmakers across the state and the nation to point to her capacity for success.
To her credit, too, she met our questions about the scrutiny she’s faced over questions about the history of her campaign finance. Forward-looking, Hall-Long said there was “no fraud” and expressed her hopes that Democratic voters would join her in an effort to “move forward.”
On policy, Hall-Long said she would focus on job growth and supporting Delaware’s small business. She spoke of her goal for Delaware to deliver on universal childcare and said she would create a cabinet-level position to address the needs of First State veterans and active-duty military personnel.
“It’s not just about the policy,” Hall-Long told Delaware Online/The News Journal’s editorial board members on Wednesday, Aug. 28. “It’s about having the capacity and the leadership to know where to take Delaware next.”
Matt Meyer
The New Castle County Executive, first elected to office in 2016 as a political newcomer, is now the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for governor.
Meyer’s ambitions for Delaware and for his own potential term as governor, shone through clearly in a conversation with our editorial board. He pledged to tackle education funding, to expand access to child care and affordable housing and discussed his desire to see Delaware become home to a medical school.
Meyer also expressed frustration about the political culture in Dover — which he characterized as overly focused on catering to the needs of special interests rather than to cause of progress for average Delawareans.
“It takes elected leaders who understand that our job, and my job, is to represent the people who don’t have a seat at the table, who don’t have a moneyed special interest in some decision making,” Meyer told us.
Acknowledging that his resume does not include service in Dover, Meyer pointed to his success in building relationships with the New Castle County Council and with key players in county government to deliver progress. If elected, he said he would work quickly to build relationships with leaders in the General Assembly and in state government to build consensus around an agenda to drive progress.
The Republicans
Republicans also face a three-way choice as they select a nominee for governor. Members of the Delaware GOP will chose between state House Rep. Mike Ramone, former New York City police officer Jerrold Price and lifelong Bridgeville resident Bobby Williamson.
Our editorial board met with two of the three candidates as voting got underway in the primary: Ramone and Price. Williamson, after repeated inquiry, did not respond for requests for an interview until this week — and cited his campaign’s inability to meet with us virtually due to bad WiFi access, an issue Williamson said was central to his campaign.
Given the Democratic Party’s longstanding grip on power across statewide office, the Republican race has attracted less attention — and far less financial support. Still, both Ramone and Price expressed their hopes to cool partisan rancor if elected. Neither mentioned former President Donald Trump in our conversations, even when asked about partisan alliances.
Here are some of our impressions of each candidate:
Mike Ramone
A veteran legislator in Dover who has long served in the state House of Representatives — he is now the House Minority Leader — Mike Ramone enjoys the endorsement of the Delaware Republican Party.
Ramone takes deep pride in his roots as a native Delawarean and said he believed his many — and sometimes controversial — experiences as an entrepreneur, along with his capacity for building relationships his party and across the aisle, would make him an effective governor. Indeed, at times, Ramone openly harkened back to a pre-Trump Delaware in which a socially moderate, fiscally conservative mindset prevailed among Delaware Republicans. Ramone said he believed that truly is still the case, even now.
“I’m not deep blue, and I’m not scarlet red,” Ramone said, echoing stump speeches. “I’m Delaware yellow,” which he explained to be squarely in the middle of the political spectrum.
Ramone’s challenge, as we see it, will be to prove himself right — that Delaware Republicans, many in the thrall of the former president for much of the last decade — will accept a turn back to the political center.
Ramone made reasonable assertions about the state’s need to rethink its funding for education, investment in youth and in job growth when we talked policy. In addition, Ramone talked about what he characterized as an ongoing need for Delaware: he is committed to making the state more friendly to business at every level by reconsidering tax policy.
Jerry Price
A former New York city police officer who retired to Lewes, Jerry Price told us his top priority as governor would be to focus on what he described as an ever-present crisis in public safety.
Price, who largely veered away from partisanship during our conversation, said that, if elected, he would work to convice Dover lawmakers to make significant investments in public safety and proposed adding police officers in departments across the state in an effort to create a more responsive and collaborative public safety network that could respond situationally to shootings and narcotics-related crimes, especially in Dover and Wilmington.
On social issues, though, it’s clear that Price is aligned with Republican culture warriors who want to roll back the clock on social issues like transgender rights. Price said he could not support transgender athletes competing in Delaware.
On policy, Price talked about the need for the First State to significantly reconsider the way it handles education funding and expressed his belief that schools are essential to building public safety. He has supported access to reproductive healthcare and for higher salaries for Delaware teachers.
Bobby Williamson
Williamson, who was unable to meet with our editorial board, has framed his candidacy around his deep roots in the First State. The Bridgeville resident is a fourth-generation Delawarean, according to his campaign website.
As DelawareOnline.com and The News Journal have reported, he has billed his candidacy around his identity as a political outsider who advocates for parental freedoms, children and small business. He has also said he supports preservation efforts across the state.
When is the state primary election day in Delaware?
The primary election is Tuesday, Sept. 10.
When is Election Day 2024?
The general election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.
Is there early voting in Delaware?
Early voting continues until Sunday, Sept. 8.
What do I need to vote early in Delaware?
At the polling site, a worker will ask you for proof of identity. Permitted forms of ID include:
- Valid Photo ID
- Copy of utility bill
- Bank statement
- Government check, paycheck, or other government document that displays your address
Early voting sites in Delaware
New Castle County
- Appoquinimink State Service Center, 122 Silver Lake Road, Middletown
- Christina Crossing, 501 S. Walnut St., Suite 13, Wilmington
- Claymont Community Center, 3301 Green St., Claymont
- Department of Elections Warehouse, 220 Lisa Drive, New Castle
- Hudson State Service Center, 501 Ogletown Road, Newark
- Police Athletic League, 3707 N. Market St., Wilmington
Kent County
- BPOE #1903 Elks Lodge, 200 S. Saulsbury Road, Dover
- Crossroad Christian Church, 4867 N. Dupont Highway, Dover
- Frederica Senior Center, 216 Market St., Frederica
- Harrington Parks & Recreation, 114 E Liberty St., Harrington
Sussex County
- American Legion Post 28 Millsboro, 31768 Legion Road, Millsboro
- Department of Elections Warehouse, Georgetown, 542 S. Bedford St., Georgetown
- Department of Elections Warehouse, Seaford, 200 Allen St., Seaford
- Ellendale Fire Hall, 302 Main St., Ellendale
- Laurel Fire Hall, 205 W. 10th St., Laurel
- Margaret H. Rollins Community Center, 101 Adams Ave., Lewes
- Millville Community Center, 32517 Dukes Drive, Millville
- Roxana Fire Hall, 35943 Zion Church Road, Frankford
The Delaware Marathon Run Fest on Sunday ended with a photo finish that proved nothing is over until it’s over.
In a video taken by the Instagram user @aktiv8edleem and shared with NBC10, a runner is seen jogging in the lead with his arms raised as if he’s won. But then, another man sprints up the final stretch and passes him for the win.
Scenic drives across New Jersey reach from the coastal marshes of Cape May to the hardwood forests around the Delaware Water Gap. The routes below range from quick Sunday drives to multi-day regional tours. Along the Pine Barrens Scenic Byway, travellers wind through protected forests, wetlands, and historic villages. Old Mine Road traces 17th-century Dutch settlement routes through rugged terrain in one of the continent’s oldest continuously used roadways. Shorter routes like the Palisades Scenic Byway deliver sweeping Hudson River views with hiking access. The nine drives below prove the Garden State reputation holds up once you leave the interstate.
Delaware River Scenic Byway
Running about 34 miles from Trenton to Frenchtown, the Delaware River Scenic Byway follows the Delaware River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal, offering easy access to hiking trails and water-based recreation. The riverside towns are among New Jersey’s best for art and history. Starting in Trenton, the route follows the Delaware and Raritan Canal toward Lambertville. Trenton’s William Trent House Museum and Trenton City Museum make good starting points.
As the route approaches Lambertville, Washington Crossing State Park marks the site where George Washington’s Continental Army crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night 1776 to attack Hessian forces at Trenton (a turning point in the Revolutionary War). The park now includes hiking trails and river views. The byway continues through the historic downtowns of Lambertville and Stockton, with Bull’s Island Recreation Area offering a riverfront stop before reaching the final destination in Frenchtown.
Pine Barrens Scenic Byway
Stretching 130 miles through southern New Jersey, the Pine Barrens Scenic Byway crosses pine forests, wetlands, and rivers while connecting unique historic villages through a network of interconnected routes. The New Jersey Pine Barrens (officially the Pinelands National Reserve, established in 1978 as the first U.S. national reserve) covers 1.1 million acres with a rare acidic sandy soil ecosystem that supports pygmy pitch pine forests found almost nowhere else in North America.
Starting near Batsto Village, a preserved 18th- and 19th-century iron-making and glass-working community, the route heads toward Tuckerton through the Pinelands, crossing waterways including the Mullica River. At Tuckerton, the route approaches Little Egg Harbor, a coastal estuary known for salt marshes, boating, and birdlife, before continuing toward the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
From there, the byway loops inland through Mullica and Weymouth, with opportunities for fishing and paddling on the Great Egg Harbor River. Continuing south, the byway extends toward Tuckahoe, a gateway to Cape May County coastal wetlands, with loops running toward Port Elizabeth and around Belleplain State Forest through towns like Dennis and Woodbine before reconnecting with other route segments.
Palisades Scenic Byway
The Palisades Scenic Byway offers sweeping views of the Hudson River as it winds along the Palisade Cliffs, one of New Jersey’s most striking geological formations. The cliffs formed about 200 million years ago when molten diabase magma intruded between sedimentary rock layers, later exposed when erosion stripped away the softer surrounding rock. The route covers 19 miles. Starting at Fort Lee Historic Park and Visitor Center, visitors can take in views of the George Washington Bridge and Revolutionary War exhibits before continuing onto the Palisades Interstate Parkway. Traveling north through Englewood Cliffs, there are stops at trailheads, picnic areas, and scenic overlooks.
Within Palisades Interstate Park, visitors can hike wooded trails, take in panoramic viewpoints, and explore the historic Cliffdale Manor ruins. The parkway continues north into New York State, extending the drive along the Hudson, but the New Jersey portion culminates at State Line Lookout, a high vantage point with expansive views of forested cliffs, distant Hudson Valley mountains, and the New York City skyline.
Bayshore Heritage Byway
Stretching nearly 122 miles through Salem, Cumberland, and Cape May counties, the Bayshore Heritage Byway covers the full range of New Jersey’s Delaware Bay coast. Dunes, coastal marshes, forested areas, and historic landmarks combine to make this one of the state’s most ecologically and culturally rich drives.
Start on Hawks Bridge Road in Salem County and head toward Salem City to explore its historic district (Salem has been continuously inhabited since 1675, making it one of New Jersey’s oldest towns). A network of local roads offers views of the Delaware Bay and estuary en route to Elsinboro Township. The Hancock House is the site of a 1778 Revolutionary War massacre where British troops killed over 20 sleeping Patriot militia. Continue to Bridgeton with stops at Bridgeton City Park and the Cohanzick Zoo within the park. Then continue to Mauricetown, with an optional detour to the East Point Lighthouse (built in 1849, New Jersey’s second-oldest lighthouse still in operation). The byway leads south into Cape May County, culminating at Cape May Point State Park.
Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Scenic Byway
The Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Scenic Byway covers 28 miles of farmland, historic homes, and quiet country roads. The drive begins in the historic district of Allentown Borough, following Main Street and then local roads toward the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area. From there, the byway winds through rural countryside toward Clayton Park, with optional detours to the Imlaystown Historic District or the Old Yellow Meeting House. The route continues past preserved farmland and open space before reaching the Walnford Historic District and Crosswicks Creek Park. The region is one of New Jersey’s most intact agricultural landscapes, partly due to strong state farmland preservation programs that have protected thousands of acres here since the 1980s.
Warren Heritage Scenic Byway
Running about 19 miles through mountain ranges and scenic valleys, the Warren Heritage Scenic Byway offers mountain views and opportunities to engage with local history along the way. One common route begins near Stewartsville and links local roads toward New Village. Bread Lock Park Museum along the route offers interactive exhibits on the region’s Morris Canal history (the canal operated from 1831 to 1924, carrying coal from Pennsylvania to New York). Heading toward Washington, the drive passes views of Pohatcong Mountain. The route continues through rural landscapes with views of Point Mountain, through Mansfield Township, Beattystown, and ending in Hackettstown.
Old Mine Road
Old Mine Road is often cited as one of the oldest continuously used roads in the United States, with Dutch colonial origins dating to the early 17th century when copper miners reportedly used the route to transport ore from the Pahaquarry mines to Kingston. While some of the exact 17th-century claims are disputed by historians, the road has been continuously used for at least 300 years. It runs through the Delaware Water Gap, where unpaved sections from centuries past can still be walked. Some segments close during winter due to harsh conditions; spring through autumn is the reliable season.
Starting near Columbia, the drive follows Old Mine Road with views of the Delaware River and the forested landscape of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. At a fork, head toward the Millbrook Village Historic Site, a preserved 19th-century rural village recreated and maintained by the National Park Service. Continuing toward Flatbrookville, the road winds through the recreation area past trails, waterfalls, and scenic mountain terrain.
Millstone Valley Scenic Byway
The Millstone Valley Scenic Byway winds through central New Jersey along the Millstone River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal. This picturesque route features Revolutionary War-era landmarks and offers both scenic waterside views and educational stops.
Begin in Millstone, heading toward the historic Bridgetender’s House at Blackwell’s Mill in the East Millstone Historic District. Continue along the Millstone River toward Kingston, passing historic neighbourhoods on River Road and Rocky Hill. Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park offers hiking and water activities. From Kingston, follow the canal to Griggstown for views of the John Clyde Memorial Native Grassland Preserve and surrounding farmland. Cross the Griggstown Causeway back over the Millstone River and return to Millstone.
Western Highlands Scenic Byway
The Western Highlands Scenic Byway runs about 23 miles through Sussex County, following forest-lined roads and farmlands. The drive features hiking trails with scenic overlooks, wildlife viewing opportunities, and historic sites. Begin in Stockholm and head north toward Vernon, with views of the Hamburg Mountain Wildlife Management Area and Highland Lake. In Vernon, the byway connects to local roads looping through the highland terrain before continuing into Wawayanda State Park, where hiking access includes sections of the Appalachian Trail. The byway then extends north toward the New Jersey-New York border.
Nine New Jersey Drives, One Garden State
These nine routes cover the state’s full geographic range: Delaware Bay wetlands on the Bayshore, Pine Barrens pygmy pitch pine forests, Delaware Water Gap forests on Old Mine Road, Palisades cliff-top Hudson River views, Millstone and Warren Heritage farmland. The shared thread is that these drives reward leaving the interstate. New Jersey’s dense population masks how much forest, farmland, and preserved waterway the state actually contains.
Delaware
State Police Arrest Dover Man for Assault and Aggravated Menacing in Dover – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware
Date Posted: Saturday, April 18th, 2026
The Delaware State Police have arrested 45-year-old Joseph Chapler, from Dover, Delaware, following an assault and aggravated menacing incident that occurred Thursday night in Dover.
On April 16, 2026, at approximately 10:20 p.m., troopers responded to the parking lot of Microtel, located at 1703 East Lebanon Road in Dover for a report of an assault and aggravated menacing. When troopers arrived, they learned that a man and woman were walking on a path behind the Microtel when they were approached by an unknown male suspect. The suspect threatened the victims, pointed a gun at them, and sprayed the female victim with pepper spray before running away. The victims ran to safety and called 9-1-1. The female victim was treated by EMS but refused medical attention.
Through investigative means, detectives identified Joseph Chapler as the suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest.
On April 17th, Chapler was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on a $94,001 cash bond.
- Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
- Assault 2nd Degree (Felony) – 2 counts
- Aggravated Menacing (Felony) – 2 counts
- Terroristic Threatening – 2 counts
- Criminal Trespass 3rd Degree
If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and need assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.
Disclaimer: Any individual charged in this release is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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