[caption id="attachment_4785" align="alignleft" width="120" caption="Terry Spence (R)"]
From 1987 to 2008 Terry R. Spence served as Delaware's speaker of the House, a position he held longer than any other state representative in the United States. Yet in 2008 the Republican found himself without a seat in the Delaware General Assembly. Now the former legislative power broker is intent on reclaiming the 18th Representative District seat he lost to Democrat Mike Barbieri.
“Since May, I’ve been walking the district every day, the whole day, to meet new constituents and get reacquainted with familiar faces,” says Spence. “I feel that fire again.”
Spence came to the General Assembly in 1981, winning election in a predominantly working class district where Democrats outnumber Republicans 4 to 1. “I’m a moderate who was elected to represent the people in my district, not any particular party,” he says.
In fact, Spence voted against most of his GOP colleagues in 1999 in favor of a measure to raise Delaware’s minimum wage by 50 cents an hour. He also cosponsored a bill that will allow collective bargaining for state employees—traditionally Democratic territory. “People are deeply concerned about wages and benefits, as well as protecting their pensions,” he says.
The son of a state police officer and father to two current officers, Spence was lead sponsor of a bill still pending in the Senate that would lower prison costs by eliminating mandatory minimum sentencing for drug offenders, instead allowing judges to use their own discretion. “I believe the current mandatory sentences are often unfair, elevate Delaware’s prison population, and increase costs on taxpayers,” he says.
Spence is meeting with doctors involved in Health-Pact, a company that allows individuals and employers to contract directly with health care providers. “We’re talking to the governor and the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce to explore ways to make health care accessible and affordable,” he says.
On economic issues, Spence says red tape is strangling entrepreneurs who want to launch small- and mid-sized businesses. To slice through the bureaucracy, he has proposed a five-day "set up to start up" program in which a prospective employer would have permits and other paperwork reviewed and signed off within a business week.
He also advocates expanding vocational schools to better serve students with special needs as well as students who would benefit more from learning a trade than going to college. “I’ve spoken with so many parents who have told me their children want to learn a trade but there isn’t enough vocational education available,” he says.
Spence, 68, is a DuPont retiree who served in the Delaware Air National Guard. The Wilmington University graduate is active in the National Rifle Association, Rotary Club of Wilmington, Lions Club, and Delaware Association of Retarded Citizens.
