The 2014 election cycle is now moving into full swing.
As part of our election coverage, Delaware Public Media is offering a series a Candidate Conversations. We’ve reached out to all candidates that have filed to run in a statewide race and invited them to sit down with us. Candidates in each race are being asked the same set of questions to allow you to get to know then and compare them.
Incumbent Democrat Chris Coons seeks to retain his US Senate seat in 2014. His Republican challenger is New Castle small business owner Kevin Wade, who easily defeated 81-year-old Milton retiree Carl Smink, a former engineer and Air Force veteran making his first run for office in the First State in a Sept. primary. Wade previously ran for Senate two years ago, losing to Tom Carper in a race that also included Independent Alex Pires and the Green Party’s Andrew Groff. Groff is also running again this year under the Green Party banner. Coons is seeking his first full six-year term in the US Senate. He defeated Republican Christine O'Donnell in 2010 in the race to fill out the remaining four years of Joe Biden's term. Biden left the seat in 2009 after being elected Vice President.
United States Senator
Chris Coons (D - Incumbent)
Watch Candidate Conversation | Official campaign website
The former New Castle Co. Executive and New Castle Co. Council president, is seeking his first full six-year term in the US Senate. He won the right to fill the remaining four years left on the term Vice President Joe Biden won in 2008 by defeating Republican Christine O'Donnell in 2010.
Andrew Groff (Green Party)
Watch Candidate Conversation | Green Party website
Groff, a computer consulting business owner and adjunct professor at Wilmington Univ., is making his second run for US Senate. He was unsuccessful in a 2012 race against incumbent Democrat Tom Carper that also included Independent Alex Pires and Republican Kevin Wade.
Carl Smink (R)
Watch Candidate Conversation | Official campaign website
The 81-year-old Milton retiree is a former engineer and Air Force veteran. He is making his first run for office in the First State.
Kevin Wade (R)
Watch Candidate Conversation | Official campaign website
Wade is making his second run for Senate. He tried to unseat Tom Carper two years ago, but finished second in a four way race that also included Independent Alex Pires and the Green Party’s Andrew Groff. Wade received 29 percent of the vote in that race.