Politics in the First State usually feels like a small family dinner where everyone knows everyone's business. But the Delaware primary election 2024 was different. It was loud. It was expensive. Honestly, it was a bit of a mess for the establishment. While the national media was obsessing over the top of the ticket, Delawareans were busy reshaping the entire face of their state government in a way we haven't seen in decades.
If you think this was just another "blue state" formality, you're missing the real story.
The Gubernatorial Grudge Match
The biggest shocker? The Governor's race. Most people expected a smooth transition. Usually, in Delaware, the Lieutenant Governor just waits their turn and slides into the top spot. That was the plan for Bethany Hall-Long. She had the endorsements of Governor John Carney and the party heavyweights.
But then things got dicey.
Matt Meyer, the New Castle County Executive, didn't follow the script. He leaned hard into a campaign finance scandal that dogged Hall-Long for months. We're talking about roughly $300,000 in "sloppy" loan reporting that made voters uneasy. Meyer, a former math teacher, ran on the idea that he was the only one in the race who had actually managed a government budget successfully.
It worked.
Meyer pulled off a convincing victory with 47% of the vote. Hall-Long trailed at 37%, and Collin O’Mara, who jumped in late, took about 16%. It was a massive rejection of the "status quo" leadership. Meyer didn't just win; he broke the traditional Delaware Way of doing things where you wait for the "elders" to give you the green light.
Making History: Sarah McBride’s Landslide
While the Governor’s race was a dogfight, the race for Delaware’s at-large US House seat was a blowout. Sarah McBride, a state senator who has been a rising star for a while now, basically cleared the field.
She won nearly 80% of the vote.
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Think about that. In a three-way race against Earl Cooper and Elias Weir, she left them in the dust. Her primary victory was the first major step toward her becoming the first openly transgender person in the US Congress. But here's the kicker: if you talk to people in Wilmington or Dover, they weren't just voting for a "historic first."
McBride’s campaign was about the nuts and bolts. She talked about:
- Paid family leave (which she actually passed at the state level).
- Medicaid expansion.
- Healthcare costs for regular families.
Basically, she proved that identity is a part of the story, but the policy is what gets people to the polls on a Tuesday in September.
The "Establishment" Had a Rough Night
It wasn't just Hall-Long who felt the sting. Several longtime incumbents in the state legislature found out the hard way that voters were looking for fresh blood.
Take Valerie Longhurst. She was the Speaker of the House. You don’t get much more "powerful" than that in state politics. She lost her primary to Kamela Smith, a newcomer who focused on community health and mental health advocacy. It was a political earthquake in Dover.
Then there was Kathy McGuiness. She used to be the State Auditor but was cast out after a corruption conviction. She tried to make a comeback in a Rehoboth Beach House seat. Voters weren't having it. She finished a distant third, with Claire Snyder-Hall taking the win.
Why the Delaware Primary Election 2024 Matters for 2026 and Beyond
You might be wondering why a primary from late 2024 is still a hot topic. Well, it set the stage for the current 2026 political cycle. The shifts we saw—the move toward younger, more progressive, and less "connected" candidates—weren't a one-time fluke.
- Fundraising is King: The amount of money spent in the 2024 primary was staggering. It proved that "Delaware Way" retail politics (shaking hands at the fire hall) is now being supplemented by massive digital ad spends.
- The Gender Shift: With Lisa Blunt Rochester moving to the Senate and Sarah McBride in the House, Delaware's federal delegation is now entirely female-led.
- Voter Turnout Trends: While presidential years always see higher numbers, the primary turnout showed that Delawareans are starting to care more about the nomination than the general election, because in a deep blue state, the primary is often where the real winner is decided.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re a Delaware resident or just a political junkie trying to keep up, here is what you need to keep an eye on as we move further into this legislative cycle:
- Watch the Budget Battles: With Matt Meyer in the Governor's office, expect a different relationship with the legislature than Carney had. He’s a numbers guy and a reformer.
- Track the New Faces: Keep tabs on Kamela Smith and other newcomers who unseated veterans. Their voting records will tell you if the state is actually shifting left or just shifting away from "old" names.
- Check Your Registration: Delaware has closed primaries. If you want to have a say in the 2026 local races, make sure your party affiliation is set before the deadlines. You can't just show up and pick a side on election day if you're unaffiliated.
The 2024 primary wasn't just a win for certain candidates; it was a loud signal that Delaware's political engine is being rebuilt from the ground up.