Delaware delegates are on their way home from the 2012 Republican Convention in Tampa.
After watching Mitt Romney accept the party’s nomination for president Thursday night, the First State’s contingent returns to prepare for the state’s September 11th primary, and then November’s general election.
Delaware Republican Party chairman John Sigler says he and the delegates hope to bring the same sense of unity the national party built in Florida back to the First State.
"Our delegation, both delegates and alternates, are elected statewide. Many of these people did not know each other. They may have known of each other, but they did not know one another," said Sigler. "We've had a good time representing Delaware together [in Tampa]. I think what your going to see now is a Republican party in Delaware that is energized and ready to go to work to elect Republicans."
Sigler concedes in Delaware, a blue state, Republicans face an uphill climb, but he adds the party is taking the long view. He expects it will take more than one election for Delaware Republicans to rebuild after a series of poor election cycles.
One way Sigler hopes to accelerate that process is by finding young, energetic candidates in Delaware like vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan.
Sigler believes says there are some “young guns” among Delaware Republicans.
"We are not only actively seeking [new faces], but we think that we've identified some already. We have some new young faces running in legislative races. Many of those people are committed to not just to one run, but two or three runs. They know sometimes you don't win the first time out," said Sigler.
Sigler says the party’s candidates for Lt. Governor and Insurance commissioner, Sher Valenzuela and Ben Mobley, are the first wave of that group of fresh faces.