There’s now a Republican candidate for Delaware Attorney General after Peggy Marshall Thomas filed to run this week.
Thomas served 30 years as prosecutor in the Attorney General’s office, retiring in 2016 as chief Sussex County prosecutor. She worked under five attorneys general from both sides of the aisle. Since then she has worked as a House attorney in the General Assembly.
Thomas says she opposes some recently proposed changes to Delaware’s criminal code she argues would undo 45 years of case law.
“We would have to retrain prosecutors and law enforcement. I’m certainly not opposed to change in general. I think that we should have specific discussions about what it is that we are trying to change in the criminal code and why”, said Thomas.
Her first priority as Attorney General, however, would be to address legislation surrounding victim advocacy. “I think it’s important to bring balance to the bills that are in the General Assembly and to look at the bills with an eye towards public safety, as well as to whether we are doing everything we can do to protect the victim,” she said.
Thomas adds that she opposes the legalization of recreational marijuana while the state is in the throes of an opioid crisis. She also says she’ll be tough on drug dealers, but allow those suffering from addiction to seek treatment rather than face incarceration.
The 57 year old Thomas is seeking to become only the second woman to serves as the state’s Attorney General. Republican Jane Brady held the post from 1995 to 2005.
Thomas will be running unopposed for the Republican nomination after Tom Neuberger withdrew from the race in order to represent a Wilmington firefighter in his high-profile suit against the city.
Incumbent AG Matt Denn decided not to seek re-election, opening the door for four Democrats, Kathy Jennings, Chris Johnson, Tim Mullaney, and LaKresha Roberts, to run for the office.
Thomas will face the survivor of September’s four way Democratic primary in the general election, held on November 6th.
