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Another candidate joins race for Delaware's U.S. House seat

Photo courtesy: Lisa Blunt Rochester for Congress

A third Democrat is throwing her hat into Delaware’s Congressional race.

 

Former State Secretary of Labor Lisa Blunt Rochester will pursue the seat currently held by John Carney, who is running for governor.

 

A longtime public servant, Rochester was the first black woman to lead the state Labor Department. She's never held elected office -- but says she's ready to work for Delaware families in Congress.

 

"One of the things I love about being a Delawarean is that we try to do things in a common sense way, but also try to find common ground," she said in an interview with Delaware Public Media. "I think that's the same spirit I'd want to take to Washington as I represent Delaware."

 

Rochester was a CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, where she says she did grassroots work on education for children of color, among other issues. She also served as state personnel director and a deputy state secretary for health and social services.

 

If elected, she says she wants to focus on criminal justice reform and creating economic opportunity for more people, as well as making college affordable.

 

"To me, Delaware families, many people, are working really hard these days, but they're still having a tough time," she says. "So for me, the number one goal is, how do we help families to do well and to thrive in today's economy?"

Rochester will face state Sen. Bryan Townsend and state Rep. Bryon Short in the Democratic primary next fall. On the GOP side, former Wyoming mayor Hans Reigle and Rose Izzo are running for Carney's seat.

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