A Republican is taking a run at Delaware’s 9th District Senate seat.
Brenda Mennella, a public school teacher in Newark, announced her candidacy on Monday. She expects education issues to feature prominently in the race thanks to the impact the pandemic has had on both students and teachers.
Mennella realizes she faces an uphill battle in the 9th district -when Democrats hold a wide registration advantage.
“I plan to have all the Republican voters, or close to it, and as many independent voters as I possibly can," she said.
Mennella added that she also hopes to draw a handful of conservative Democrats frustrated by what she considers failures of the public school system.
Though she is a teacher, Mennella says she does not expect teacher’s union backing, but will reach out to fellow educators to make her case.
"I was told way early on that the teacher’s union would not support me period, so I am still trying to craft a way to figure out how to get in, what the issues are, to have the teachers listen to me and hear me," she said. "Some of them may be more persuaded.”
Delaware Public Media has reached out to the Delaware State Educaton Association for comment.
Walsh, who won the 9th district with 67% of the vote in 2020, has not yet filed to seek another term.
