1 week Ago By Sarah Mueller
From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know! Democrats in Delaware are seeking answers and preparing for President-elect Donald Trump to take office for another four years. Meanwhile, Republicans are hopeful the former president will enact the promises he made during his campaign.
Emotions ranged from joy to shock at Return Day , held just days after last week’s election. It’s a centuries-old First State tradition where every election cycle, candidates and Delawareans of all political affiliations come together to bury an actual hatchet to show there are no hard feelings — even after a divisive election. Sussex County Republican Committee Vice Chair Tom Molnar had a booth set on the fairgrounds last week, with a cardboard copy of Trump people took pictures with and a large red hat with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan on it.
“This is the best week that we’ve had in a long time,” Molnar said. “Trump won, and we had a lot of Republicans win the election.” Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris lost the popular vote and the Electoral College to Trump.
Republicans gained control of the U.S. Senate; the House is still undecided to date, but Republicans are inching towards victory there as well.
Former Rep. Debbie Harrington, who unsuccessfully sought the lieutenant governor position in the Democratic primary earlier this year, said she thinks some people were uncomfortable electing a Black woman as president. “When you talk about the differences in the two of them, it just didn’t cross my mind that he had the ability to win,” she said.
“I just didn’t believe that.” Millville resident Sherrena Williams said she’s worried the rights of Black people will erode under the next Trump administration. “I personally grew up during segregation, and I’m starting to have flashbacks,” Williams said.
“When we look at the television and he gave his [acceptance] speech, nobody looked like us on that stage.” Democrats Sherrena Williams and former Rep. Debbie Harrington at Return Day just a couple days after the November election, where political parties bury an actual hatchet after each election cycle.
(Sarah Mueller/WHYY) While Harris carried Delaware, turnout and Trump’s ability to broaden his appeal contributed to his overall win. Delaware’s turnout was down from 68% four years ago , when President Joe Biden was running to 65% this year, state Department of Elections data shows. That’s similar to results nationally, where overall turnout was 65%, two points lower than in 2020.
Trump also increased his share of votes in the First State this election cycle, garnering 214,184 in 2024 compared with 200,184 in 2020. Former Rep. Ruth Briggs King, a Republican who lost a bid for lieutenant governor against Democrat Kyle Evans Gay, said she saw more Black and Latino voters support her than in prior races.
“They like direct speech, not a lot of legalese, not a lot of political jargon,” she said. “They want that real and sincere conversation. And I think that must have resonated with them.
” Williams said the Democratic Party is not doing enough to represent the Black community. Trump gained support from more Black voters, particularly men, this year than in 2020, according to data from AP VoteCast . “The Democratic Party has to step up and be more proactive in supporting Black people,” Williams said.
“They like us, but they’re not putting forth policy to show that. So that’s very important, and I think that is why Black men voted for the Republican Party. They see the Democratic Party as being friendly towards us as a people, but not friendly towards us with their policies.
” Delaware voters elected Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Tom Carper, making her the state’s first woman and Black candidate elected to that chamber. Delaware’s political candidates gather to ‘bury the hatchet’ Delaware candidates from all political parties gather to actually “bury the hatchet.
” It’s called Return Day. 5 days ago U.S.
Sen. Chris Coons said President Biden’s administration accomplished a lot, but Harris didn’t get the credit for the progress that was made. “I’ll be talking to my colleagues about really looking at how we communicated, what we worked on, what we delivered, and why that wasn’t sufficient for there to be a broader Democratic win this cycle,” he said.
Nationally, Republicans could control all three branches of government, which could make it much easier for Trump to implement many of the policies, including the mass deportation of undocumented migrants, eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and restricting LGBTQ rights.
Democrats in Delaware continued their domination over all nine statewide offices, including maintaining control of the governor’s and lieutenant governor’s offices. While the Senate flipped to GOP control, state Sen. Sarah McBride earned a historic victory as the first openly transgender person to serve in the U.
S. Congress. Democrats increased their margin by one in the state House, 27-14, and kept their majority in the Senate, with a 15-6 advantage.
Molnar, the vice chair of Sussex County Republican Committee, said he supports eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and removing people in Delaware who are not in the country legally.
“If they are [a derogatory term to describe migrants], they shouldn’t be here,” Molnar said. “Leave the jobs for the people who are here legally.” He also opposes Delaware’s approval of a controversial Maryland offshore wind project off the Delmarva Coast .
Trump has announced he will nominate former New York Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin to head the Environmental Protection Administration and promises to increase the use of fossil fuels by slashing air and water regulations. Governor-elect Matt Meyer said his administration will safeguard the rights of Delawareans while trying to partner with the new administration.
“I want to assure them that in Delaware, my administration will go to the utmost length to protect individual freedom and protect equity and equality for all communities,” Meyer said. “I am indifferent to which person I have to work with, what party they’re from. I want to make sure that the values, the principles for which we stand as Delawareans and Americans are upheld and will continue to be upheld here.
” Several Democratic governors are pledging to fight Trump’s policies. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Heeley said her administration will not cooperate with the president-elect’s mass deportation plans.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a special session focused on protecting civil rights, reproductive freedom, climate action and immigrant families . Pennsylvania Gov.
Josh Shapiro and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy issued statements pledging to protect fundamental rights while seeking areas of compromise with the new administration. The Delaware Senate was already planning to convene in a special session to consider outgoing The Delaware Senate was already planning to convene in a special session to consider outgoing Gov.
John Carney’s appointments needing Senate confirmation. However, his office and House and Senate leaders did not respond to whether they intended to use it use it to pass legislation before Trump takes office in January. Get daily updates from WHYY News! The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.
.
