GOP incumbent Mike Ramone holds on to the 21st District seat following a recount in the race.
The recount actually increased Ramone’s margin of victory over Democratic challenger Frank Burns.
The original margin was 35 votes, triggering an automatic recount in New Castle County. The second count increased that margin to 41 votes with the final tally 4,363 for Ramone and 4,322 for Burns.
Burns says he plans to challenge Ramone again after coming so close to defeating the 14-year incumbent.
“I think that our focus was on his voting record," Burns says about his campaign. "He does well with constituent services. He's a very outgoing individual, so he's built sort of personal relationships with a lot of people. But when we were knocking at the doors, what we found out pretty quickly is that people would say, ‘oh, yeah, I know Mike from various things.’ And then if you ask, ‘Well, do you know how he votes in Dover and the answer was no."
Burns makes the case that Ramone's voting record doesn’t align with the district’s interests.
“He voted against all the bills for women to have choice and reproductive choice," Burns says. "And he also voted against increasing the minimum wage ever since it's been moved up from $7.25, he's voted against that every time. So I really did not like the way he was voting in Dover. That was just what clinched it. I'm a gun owner, but I don't see the need to have the type of weapons that people are running around with today.”
Burns was late to announce his candidacy, which he says is one thing that will be different about his next campaign. Moving forward, Burns says he will stay active in the community.
Ramone has not responded to Delaware Public Media’s request for comment.
