NEW CASTLE COUNTY AND WILMINGTON DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE NOMINATIONS FOR SPECIAL ELECTIONS

Senate Districts 1 and 5 select Dan Cruce and Ray Seigfried

WILMINGTON, DE - Last night, the Senate District 1 and Senate District 5 Caucuses of the Delaware Democratic Party completed the Special Election candidate selection processes as outlined by the Delaware Code and Party Rules.  

In the wake of an historic election, Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride will vacate her State Senate seat in January, leading to a Special Election in Delaware’s 1st Senatorial District which includes areas of Wilmington, Edgemoor, and Bellefonte.  

“This district, with its rich history and sense of community, deserves a leader who prioritizes the needs of residents and embodies the values of our Party. This evening, electors nominated Dan Cruce as the Democratic candidate for Senate District 1 to continue that important legacy,” said New Castle County Chair Kat Caudle and City of Wilmington Chair Cassandra Marshall. 

Kyle Evans Gay will vacate her seat in the 5^th Senatorial District following her election as Lieutenant Governor. A Special Election will occur in the District, a more suburban seat comprised of areas including Brandywine Hundred, Claymont, and Talleyville, which the Senator flipped in 2020. 

“The selection of our Democratic Candidate for Senate District 5, Ray Seigfried, will ensure that this only recently flipped district will continue to be represented by a prominent democratic voice in the General Assembly,” New Castle County Chair Kat Caudle said. “We are excited to mobilize voters and volunteers alike to keep each of these districts blue.” 

The Chairs jointly shared their gratitude for the service of both Gay and McBride in the State Senate: “Champions of policies like paid family medical leave, automatic voter registration, abortion and contraception, and access to high-quality early childhood education, Senators Gay and McBride will be missed in the General Assembly. Their ascension to higher office speaks to the voters’ confidence in their vision for the future and their proven effectiveness in furthering progressive policies. We are confident that our candidates will continue the tradition of effective leadership that listens to people, works tirelessly for our future, and stands up for the principles we espouse as a Party.” 

Finally, the Chairs addressed that while the candidate nomination process was successful, and offered more resident engagement than required by the law or Delaware Democratic Party rules, it also brought forward an important public discourse about whether the General Assembly and Governor-Elect will amend the process in the future - an idea posed by the Governor-Elect that the Chairs do not oppose. They opined on the issue, noting that while productive conversations were had, some parties preferred to disparage the process. 

“While detractors may continue to criticize the Party, their issue is with the Code itself. We should focus on continually improving and expanding voter access instead of taking cynical stands that drive voters away and distract from the issue at hand: in order to make progress for all Delawareans, we must elect strong Democrats to the State Senate, who will support efforts to ensure every eligible voter has equitable access to elections. While our current, long-standing system rewards participation, we must acknowledge participation does require privilege, and we appreciate the opportunity to more thoroughly discuss how our Party can be more accessible, while we ensure voters do not go long periods without representation.” 

“Further,” they shared, “those who would try to put a finger on the scales of this just process, or suggest that it was done in secrecy, fail to recognize the meaningful moral imperative that our Party tasks itself, and its candidates, to uphold.”  

The Special Elections will occur at a date determined upon the filing of a writ of election by the Senate President Pro Tempore or the Governor. Winning Senators-elect will serve for two years, the remainder of each departing Senator’s term.