The national midterm blue wave that tipped the scale in governor's races helped Delaware’s Democratic Party gain a stronger foothold at Legislative Hall.
Democrats have controlled the Delaware's House of Representatives since 2008. They won a 27-14 majority in 2024 that allowed them to pass money bills without Republican votes. Now, with a 30-11 advantage, they can pass constitutional amendments needing only Democratic votes.
But the midterm elections also put more Democrats backed by Delaware’s Working Families Party in the House, including Tyeisha"Tye" Grier now repping District 28, Rae Krantz in District 6, Branden Fletcher Dominguez for District 3, and Pamela Salaam in District 16.
State Rep. Frank Burns (D-Newark) won his seat in 2024 backed by the Working Families Party. He says the group pushes for accountability from within the party's in the years-long Democratic control of the legislature and Governor’s seat.
"I think it gives a truly more working families orientation to what the Democratic Party is doing in the state," he said. "And I do think it also lets people know that the Democrats aren't just a bunch of incumbent people who are a block and are just going to look out for themselves."
The Working Families Party is slowly building its ranks. Karl Stomberg, an organizer for Delaware Working Families Party, said it started with four House seats after 2020's elections.
That year, it supported current State Reps. Eric Morrison, Larry Lambert, Rae Moore, and Madinah Wilson. They represent Districts 27, 7, 8, and 26 respectively. The later of the group, Wilson, is making a bid for House Speaker currently.
Its House roster grew to seven after 2022, when it helped elect four Democrats, including DeShanna Neal, Sophie Phillips, Cyndie Romer, and Kerri Evelyn Harris. Respectively, the group covers District 13, District 18, District 25, and District 32.
The progressive party remained at seven after 2024, with some new endorsements and attrition, according to Stomberg. But after this year's election, its roster of state representatives stands at 11. That includes:
- Michelle Booker - State Representative, District 2
- Branden Fletcher Dominguez - State Representative, District 3
- Rae Krantz - State Representative, District 6
- Larry Lambert - State Representative, District 7
- Sherae’a Moore - State Representative, District 8
- Kamela Smith - State Representative, District 15
- Pamela Salaam - State Representative, District 16
- Sophie Phillips - State Representative, District 18
- Frank Burns - State Representative, District 21
- Madinah Wilson-Anton - State Representative, District 26
- Tyeisha Grier - State Representative, District 28
Its agenda includes policy that supports local hiring practices, rental relief, and earned sick-time.
The WFP-backed seats were not among the three districts that flipped, to give Delaware its largest-ever house majority. Those were House Districts 4, 9 and 34,, won by Gregg Lindner, Ayanna Khan-Flowers and Annie Norman.
On election night, Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay told Delaware Public Media what the flipped seats indicate to her, recalling a constitutional amendment she introduced as a legislator back in 2022, to put the right to abortion access into the state constitution. It didn't pass then, but the supermajority changes that.
"We knew it could not be passed at that time," she said. "We are not talking about a radical agenda...We are talking about civil rights. We will set up barriers here in Delaware so that those who would wish to infringe on those rights for Delawareans will not be successful."
She added her party needs to meet the economic needs of Delawareans. That will involve pushing in Washington, working with federal partners to improve employment outlooks and rising costs of fuel, healthcare, and housing.
