Honestly, if you were watching the national maps on election night, Delaware might have looked like a foregone conclusion. People tend to write off the First State as a deep blue lock, and while the Delaware voting results 2024 certainly kept the Democratic streak alive, the actual numbers tell a much more nuanced story about where the state is heading. It wasn't just a "business as usual" Tuesday.
We saw historic firsts that will be talked about for decades. We also saw some surprising shifts in the margins.
The Big Picture: Who Won What?
At the top of the ticket, Kamala Harris took the state's three electoral votes. She pulled in 289,758 votes, which is about 56.6% of the total. Donald Trump followed with 214,351 votes, or 41.9%.
Now, if you compare that to 2020, the gap narrowed a tiny bit. It's not a seismic shift, but it's enough to make political junkies sit up and take notice.
In the race to fill Tom Carper’s massive shoes in the U.S. Senate, Lisa Blunt Rochester made history. She didn't just win; she became the first woman and the first Black person to represent Delaware in the Senate. She beat Republican Eric Hansen by roughly 17 points, finishing with 283,298 votes.
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Breaking Down the Congressional and State Races
Then there's Sarah McBride. You've probably heard her name in the national news because she’s now the first openly transgender person elected to the U.S. Congress. She won the state’s lone House seat with 57.9% of the vote, defeating Republican John Whalen III.
The Governor's mansion is also getting a new resident. Matt Meyer, the former New Castle County Executive, beat Mike Ramone. Meyer snagged 56.1% of the vote. Interestingly, this was the closest gubernatorial race Delaware has seen since 2004. Mike Ramone’s 43.9% was the highest percentage a Republican has pulled for that office in twenty years.
- Governor: Matt Meyer (D) 56.1% vs. Mike Ramone (R) 43.9%
- U.S. Senate: Lisa Blunt Rochester (D) 56.6% vs. Eric Hansen (R) 39.5%
- U.S. House: Sarah McBride (D) 57.9% vs. John Whalen III (R) 42.1%
- Lt. Governor: Kyle Evans Gay (D) 55.2% vs. Ruth Briggs King (R) 44.8%
The County Divide: It’s Not All Blue
You can't talk about Delaware voting results 2024 without looking at the geography. The state is basically a tale of three very different counties.
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New Castle County remains the powerhouse for Democrats. It's where the bulk of the population lives, and Harris won it by a staggering 33 points. If New Castle didn't exist, Delaware would be a very different color on the map.
Kent County was a nail-biter. In the Governor’s race, Meyer only won Kent by about 429 votes. That is a razor-thin margin for a "blue" state.
Down in Sussex County? It’s deep red territory. Trump carried Sussex with 54.9% of the vote, and Republican Mike Ramone actually beat Meyer there by over 11 points.
Why the Margins Matter
Voter turnout was decent, hitting about 66%. That’s higher than the 2022 midterms but a slight dip from the 2020 presidential high.
What’s kind of fascinating is the "under the hood" data. Across the country, we saw shifts in how different groups voted, and Delaware wasn't immune. While Democrats swept all nine statewide elective offices—a streak they've held since 2018—the Republican gains in the gubernatorial race suggest that local issues like education and the economy are resonating differently than national talking points.
For example, Matt Meyer had to fight through a pretty bruising three-way primary against Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long and Collin O’Mara. That primary might have left some bruises that Mike Ramone was able to pick at during the general election.
What Happens Next?
With the 2024 cycle in the rearview mirror, the focus shifts to how these new leaders will govern. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Sarah McBride are heading to a D.C. that looks very different than it did two years ago.
Locally, the Democratic supermajority in the state legislature remains largely intact. In the state House, Democrats actually picked up a seat, moving to a 27-14 margin. In the state Senate, they held onto their 15-6 lead.
Actionable Takeaways for Delaware Voters
If you're looking to stay engaged after seeing these results, here's what you can actually do:
- Check your registration status: Even though the big one is over, local school board and municipal elections often happen in the "off" times. Use the Delaware Department of Elections portal to stay current.
- Follow the newcomers: Watch how Sarah McBride and Matt Meyer handle their first 100 days. Legislative sessions in Dover start early in the year, and that’s where the real work on property taxes and housing starts.
- Look at the local level: Since Kent and Sussex showed such different leanings, pay attention to your specific County Council meetings. That’s often where the decisions that affect your daily life—like zoning and land use—actually happen.
The 2024 results proved that while Delaware is a blue stronghold, it isn't a monolith. The narrowing margins in certain areas suggest that the "First State" is more politically complex than a simple color-coded map suggests.