In a startling Delaware Primary Election result, political newcomer Kamela Smith upsets current House Speaker Valerie Longhurst (D-Bear) to represent the Bear area.
Smith ended election night with 53% of the vote, claiming victory over Longhurst by 180 ballots.
She's the Director of Community Education and Engagement at ChristianaCare and ran on increasing governmental transparency, providing safe and equitable youth programs and education and expanding affordable mental health services.
Delaware Working Families Party (WFP) — a progressive political party aiming to get working people on the ballot — Director Karl Stomberg credits Smith’s win to her connection with residents of District 15 and running a solid grassroots campaign, saying she talked to every registered primary voter at least three times.
"She's been working in the community for the last 20 years. She's not maybe traditionally political — she didn't come from a traditional political background, but she's connected with the community. So just a solid candidate who has great values and a lot of trust in the community."
Additionally, Stomberg says Smith talked with voters about issues like earned sick time and safety leave, universal free school meals and rent stabilization.
“These were things that had been stalled in the Delaware legislature, even though we have a Democratic majority, and a lot of times they were being stalled by Valerie Longhurst. And when we brought up these issues to voters, they agreed that they were things that needed to be passed and they thought that Kamela Smith was the person who could do that.”
This was the first contested primary election Longhurst has faced since 2016 where she beat Democratic challenger James Burton by 28 points.
Longhurst was first elected to the Delaware legislature in 2004 and went on to serve in the state House of Representatives for almost two decades.
She was elected as House Minority Whip just four years after entering the General Assembly and later served as House Majority Leader for 11 years.
She became Delaware's first female Speaker of the House in 2023, taking over for State Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf (D-Rehoboth) who announced his retirement in July 2023.
Longhurst has been a champion for expanding access to mental and behavioral health services in Delaware — the final stage of her legislative plan to increase the number of full-time counselors and social workers in schools was signed into law last month.
When Smith was considering entering the race in December 2023, she told Delaware Public Media: “I know that she has been in her seat for a long time, and I know that she has politics and she has legislation that I agree with. But I want to be a representation of this district as well."
Following the announcement of her victory Tuesday, Smith says it feels like anything is possible.
"It feels surreal, it feels exciting. There's like a whole hodgepodge of feelings that are going on right now. Like this morning, I had to say, 'Is this for real? Did this really happen?' So that's how I'm feeling, but I'm also feeling ready, like I'm ready to go and do some work," she said.
There are no other contestants filed in November's General Election, leaving an uncontested path for Smith to officially fill the House District 15 seat.
Longhurst’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment, but Smith says the two had the opportunity to shake hands before the polls closed, and she wants to give Longhurst some space before the two talk about future plans.
Smith was one of several of the Delaware Working Families Party-backed candidates to take home a win in the Democratic primary.
Incumbent Eric Morrison (D-Glasgow) comfortably beat challenger Margie Lopez Waite to likely maintain his seat in District 27, Frank Burns narrowly beat Michael Smith for the Democratic nomination in the 21st district's at-large seat — he will go on to face Republican Brenda Mennella in November — and the party celebrated some city council victories as well.
Stomberg says these wins build upon WFP's victories in 2020 when the organization helped elect four other candidates who were not on the ballot Tuesday, including State Sen. Marie Pinkney (D-Bear) who upset then-Sen. President Pro Tempore Dave McBride.
"I think that the policy movement is something that we're hopeful about, and I think there's even more stuff when it comes to police reform, government transparency that really does need to be done, and I think there's a better opportunity for that now," Stomberg said.
With Longhurst's loss, the House will need to restructure its Democratic leadership team.
Stomberg says whether or not that new group includes WFP-backed representatives, he is hopeful progressive policies will receive more consideration in the upcoming legislative session.
"When it comes to leadership, ultimately, that is the decision of everybody who is elected to the State House. But I think regardless of what happens— I think we're gonna end up hopefully with leadership that is a lot more sympathetic to some of those policy wins and hopefully sympathetic to a better way of running state government."
Smith agrees with Stomberg, saying more progressive leadership is something Delawareans have been calling for.
“I feel hopeful. I feel that it's something that our communities need, something that our communities have been striving for. So I'm looking forward to it, and I'm also thankful for all the support from the Delaware Working Families Party — I think they're doing good work and have an important role in progressive movement building.”
WFP did see some losses Tuesday night, including their endorsed candidate for governor Collin O'Mara, who ended the race with 16% of the vote.
New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer ended up winning the Democratic gubernatorial nomination with 47% of the vote, followed by runner-up Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, who ended with 37% of the vote.
On endorsing Meyer in his November General Election run against Republican candidate Mike Ramone, Stomberg says it's something WFP "will potentially consider," but the organization has not met yet to discuss it.
Stomberg believes WFP's wins in 2020, 2022 and this year are starting to reveal a pattern that prove Delawareans want more progressive candidates.
"I think that shows that there is a new way of doing politics in Delaware that is more focused on the people. It's more focused on getting actual material wins for working families, and I'm hoping that that is going to continue."
The General Election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.