Today, former Delaware Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and current CEO of the National Wildlife Federation Collin O’Mara announced that he is the first Democrat to file as a candidate for governor.
At the end of 2023, O’Mara said he had formed an exploratory committee to determine whether Delaware Democrats wanted a different option in the race for governor.
“Six months from now, Delaware Democrats will vote in the most consequential gubernatorial primary in a generation. Democrats want more than incremental change, they want a new generation of progressive leadership that can deliver bold action. I’m running for governor to offer an ambitious agenda and provide a progressive alternative on the ballot for Democrats. Being the First State can’t just be our history, it has to be our future,” O’Mara said.
In addition to filing paperwork with the State Election Commission, O’Mara also released a video and a website with a policy agenda that focuses on “fixing our public schools, building an inclusive 21st century economy, supporting working families and older Delawareans, leading on climate and environmental justice, and protecting fundamental rights.”
He described the current race as being “largely devoid of policy proposals or any real detail of how to get things done,
O’Mara will square off against Lt. Gov, Bethany Hall-Long and New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. Meyer has run on his record as New Castle County Executive while Hall-Long has stressed her background in government and nursing education.
Meyer has touted his campaign’s fund-raising abilities and hired an experienced campaign director. Hall-Long put her campaign on hold for a time over campaign finance filing report issues.
One Republican has announced his candidacy but has not won the backing of the state party.
Click on the highlighted link for O’Mara’s video:
