2016 United States House of Representatives election in Delaware
The 2016 United States House of Representatives election in Delaware was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the U.S. Representative from the state of Delaware from Delaware's at-large congressional district. The election coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on September 13.
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Rochester: 60–70% Reigle: 40-50% 50-60% | |||||||||||||||||
|
Elections in Delaware |
---|
Democrat John Carney, the incumbent representative, did not run for reelection, instead successfully running for Governor of Delaware.[1] Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester won the open seat on November 8th.
Democratic primary
Democrats Bryon Short, a member of the Delaware House of Representatives from Highland Woods, and Bryan Townsend, a member of the Delaware Senate from Newark, Delaware, had previously said they would run for the seat if Carney ran for governor.[1][2] Following Carney's announcement that he would run for governor, both Short and Townsend declared their candidacies in the race to succeed him.[3][4] Lisa Blunt Rochester, the former State Labor Secretary, also joined the race.[5] Short later withdrew from the race, citing difficulties fundraising.[6] Rochester won the primary with 43.8% of the vote.[7]
Nominee
- Lisa Blunt Rochester, former State Labor Secretary, former State Personnel Director, and former CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League[5]
Eliminated in primary
Withdrawn
- Bryon Short, state representative[3][6]
Declined
- Marla Blunt Carter, college professor and former congressional aide[8][5]
- Chris Bullock, president of the New Castle County Council (running for re-election)[10]
- John Carney, incumbent U.S. Representative (running for Governor)[1]
- Jack Markell, Governor of Delaware[8]
- Brenda Mayrack, former executive director of the Delaware Democratic Party and nominee for state auditor in 2014
- Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation and former State Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary
- Dennis E. Williams, former state representative and nominee in 1996 and 1998[8]
Endorsements
- Lawrence Lessig, law professor[11]
- Margaret Rose Henry, state senator[12]
- Valerie Longhurst, Delaware House Majority Leader[12]
- Debra Heffernan, state representative[12]
- Stephanie T. Bolden, state representative[12]
- Andria Bennett, state representative[12]
- Kimberly Williams, state representative[12]
- EMILY's List[13]
- National Women's Political Caucus[14]
- Coby Owens, social justice activist, CEO of Youth Caucus of America, and 2016 delegate for Bernie Sanders
- Donald Morton, civil rights leader[15]
- Karen E. Peterson, state senator[15]
- Stephanie Bolden, state representative[15]
- Gerald Brady, state representative[15]
- William Carson, Jr., state representative[15]
- Debra Heffernan, state representative[15]
- Earl Jaques, Jr., state representative[15]
- Quinn Johnson, state representative[15]
- John Kowalko, state representative[15]
- Sean Lynn, state representative[15]
- Sean Matthews, state representative[15]
- Trey Paradee, state representative[15]
- Peter Schwartzkopf, Speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives[15]
- Melanie G. Smith, state representative[15]
Polling
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Sean Barney |
Lisa Blunt Rochester |
Mike Miller |
Bryan Townsend |
Scott Walker |
Elias Weir |
Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fairleigh Dickinson University | July 20–24, 2016 | 344 | ± 5.3% | 4% | 11% | 9% | 11% | 6% | 0% | 1% | 52% |
Gravis Marketing | April 17–18, 2016 | 1,026 | ± 3.1% | 12% | 8% | — | 19% | — | — | — | 61% |
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Lisa Blunt Rochester | 27,920 | 43.8 | |
Democratic | Bryan Townsend | 15,847 | 24.8 | |
Democratic | Sean Barney | 12,891 | 20.2 | |
Democratic | Micheal Miller | 3,500 | 5.5 | |
Democratic | Scott Walker | 3,156 | 4.9 | |
Democratic | Elias Weir | 480 | 0.8 | |
Total votes | 63,794 | 100.0 |
Republican primary
Hans Reigle, a former mayor of Wyoming, Delaware, and the former chairman of the Kent County Republican Party, ran unopposed on the ballot for the Republican nomination.[18]
Nominee
- Hans Reigle, former mayor of Wyoming and former chairman of the Kent County Republican Party[18]
Failed to file
Polling
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Hans Reigle |
Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fairleigh Dickinson University | July 20–24, 2016 | 224 | ± 6.6% | 26% | 14% | 55% |
General election
Polling
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Lisa Blunt Rochester (D) |
Hans Reigle (R) |
Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Delaware | September 16–28, 2016 | 900 | ± 3.8% | 46% | 26% | 11% | 18% |
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Lisa Blunt Rochester | 233,554 | 55.52% | -3.74% | |
Republican | Hans Reigle | 172,301 | 40.96% | +4.20% | |
Green | Mark J. Perri | 8,326 | 1.97% | -0.10% | |
Libertarian | Scott Gesty | 6,436 | 1.55% | -0.36% | |
Total votes | '420,617' | '100.0%' | N/A | ||
Democratic hold |
References
- Starkey, Jonathan (September 16, 2015). "Rep. John Carney enters 2016 governor race". The News Journal. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- Starkey, Jonathan (September 3, 2015). "Townsend hiring for congressional campaign". The News Journal. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- Offredo, Jon (September 25, 2015). "Delaware Rep. Bryon Short declares for Congress". The News Journal. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
- Offredo, Jon (September 17, 2015). "State Sen. Bryan Townsend announces congressional bid". The News Journal. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
- Offredo, Jon; Jonathan, Starkey (October 26, 2015). "Former state labor secretary enters congressional race". The News Journal. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- Albright, Matthew; Duvernay, Adam (April 4, 2016). "Short drops out of congressional race, cites money". The News Journal. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
- Delaware Primary results
- Railey, Kimberly (September 17, 2015). "Joe Biden's Home-State Politics Get a Rare Shake-Up". National Journal. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- Fowser, Mark (October 20, 2015). "Mike Miller of Lewes announces candidacy for Congress". WXDE. Archived from the original on October 21, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
- Wilson, Xerxes (September 2, 2015). "Bullock to run for New Castle County Council president". The News Journal. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- Lessig, Lawrence. "the few who could make a difference". Retrieved March 29, 2016.
- "Delaware Women Legislators Endorse Lisa Blunt Rochester for Congress". Lisa Blunt Rochester for Congress.
- "EMILY's List Endorses Lisa Blunt Rochester for Congress in Delaware's At-Large District". EMILY's List. January 29, 2016.
- "National Women's Political Caucus Endorses Lisa Blunt Rochester for U.S. House in Delaware". Lisa Blunt Rochester for Congress.
- Offredo, Jon (September 29, 2015). "Bryon Short secures endorsements in Congressional race". The News Journal. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- Delaware Primary results
- "Primary Election Official Results". delaware.gov. September 13, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
- Starkey, Jonathan (April 8, 2015). "Republican, former mayor files for Congress". The News Journal. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
- "Primary Election (Official Results)". STATE OF DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS.
- "State of Delaware General Election (Official Results)". State of Delaware Election Commissioner. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
External links
- Official campaign websites (Archived)