The Delaware Republican Party is making its final appeal to Delawareans with Election Day now less than a week away.
The Delaware GOP is putting a concerted effort into keeping its foothold in the General Assembly.
Party chair Jane Brady says she wants to focus efforts on the House and Senate districts where Republicans are fighting to hold seats -- and Democrats have a registration advantage
More moderate Republicans, like State Sen. Anthony Delcollo, have said they’d like to see moderate conservatives running for statewide office, arguing Republicans who work past party lines have a better chance to succeed in elections.
But Brady thinks the GOP’s top of the ticket is not too extreme.
“One person does not define a party. And there’s been a lot of attention on one extreme right candidate that we have on our ticket this year," said Brady. "But our governor candidate is moderate, she’s not far right, our lieutenant governor candidate is very moderate, almost to the left of moderate.”
The extreme candidate Brady is referring to is U.S. Senate candidate Lauren Witzke, who’s been under fire, and even blocked on social media, for inflammatory statements.
Brady says Delawareans don’t look to the top of the ticket for their choice, but look at where the local candidates stand on issues, and she says they have focused on the local problems that affect regular citizens.
Brady says her priority this election is the hotly contested down ballot races.
“I think in large part we need to make gains in the Senate," said Brady. "That’s been my focus, I don’t know that we’re gonna be able to do that with Joe Biden on the ticket to be candid with you. But our objective is to win seats in the Senate.”
Brady also reiterated the GOP’s concern about one-party rule in Delaware, arguing bringing more Republicans to the legislature would keep a Democractic Party that holds all statewide offices in check.
She says she's confident that incumbent State Senators Anthony Delcolloand Cathy Cloutier - facing serious challenges in New Castle County - will hold their seats.
The Delaware GOP faces another round of tough statewide races, where Democratic candidates hold high approval ratings, and a registration edge statewide of 150,000 voters.
Republicans lost the last statewide office they held in 2018 when Ken Simpler was defeated by Colleen Davis for State Treasurer.
