Stephanie Barry is embarking on another attempt to represent State House District 21.
Barry is challenging State Rep. Mike Ramone (R-Middle Run Valley) for his seat again. She lost to Ramone in 2018 by less than 450 votes.
She said she ran out of time to meet with voters last year because she waited to launch her campaign. Barry declared her candidacy less than six months before the election.
“This time we’re running a marathon, where we’re really hoping to connect with more people in the district, spend more time at the doors, getting more in-depth answers and talking to voters one-on-one about the issues that matter to them most,” she said.
Barry said she cares about issues like health care and minimum wage. She opposes 2018 legislation sponsored by Ramone allowing employers to pay minors and adults in their first 90 days of work 50 cents less an hour less than the minimum wage.
“I feel very strongly that Delaware workers need a raise, you know, across the board," she said. "I feel very strongly that people should be paid for the job they do, not for the age that they are.”
Gov. John Carney (D) signed Ramone’s training wage bill into law. Legislation to repeal it remained stalled in committee this year, but could move in January.
Barry declined to revisit her former employment at the nonprofit PAWS For People. Ramone interpreted a Facebook message to friends discussing her campaign as the nonprofit endorsing her run. She lost her job there last year after he questioned whether that organization - which receives state Grant-In-Aid funding - was financially supporting her campaign with those funds.
Ramone denied trying to interfere with Barry’s employment. He said he was just trying to make sure PAWS was following the rules regarding Grant-In-Aid spending.
