Why Should Delaware Care?
The state chamber of commerce is the most influential business advocacy organization in Delaware and, as its next leader, Rep. Mike Smith will shape its future work and impact. His departure from the General Assembly will be a blow to the future prospects of the state Republican Party, which has struggled for a decade to make advancements in the state.
State Rep. Mike Smith (R-Pike Creek), who was announced Wednesday morning as the next president of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, told Spotlight Delaware he would not run for reelection in 2028.
While the 41-year-old Smith has long been seen as a rising future leader in the Delaware Republican Party, the lawmaker said he also will not seek any office come 2028.
Smith is one of the youngest members of the state’s Republican caucus and the last incumbent Republican lawmaker from New Castle County. He represents the Pike Creek and Hockessin area in House District 22, where he has defied a Democratic voter registration advantage since taking office in 2018 by fewer than 200 votes.
Despite running against the odds, Smith has easily won re-election twice, in part by building a personal brand grounded on constituent conversations, small business and entrepreneurial support, and raising a young family.
He called the decision to transition to the private sector after a decade as a state representative, should he win his reelection bid next month, “a commitment” he made to both himself and his family.
Smith said the 10-year number has long been on his mind. It is indicative of his broader political ideology. He has served his constituents well and been able to accomplish an agenda in that time, he said.
“It’s going to be hard to walk away from that,” Smith said. “But I think that’s something that’s important in the political process. These elected positions were not built for people to stay in the same position for years upon years upon years.”
The General Assembly also has changed a lot since he was first elected, Smith said. Changes that have not necessarily been for the better.
“I’m not someone who believes in the party apparatus or the party fiefdoms, and I guess what comes with that,” Smith said. “I also don’t think the General Assembly has that makeup anymore. I think the General Assembly has generally been made up of advocacy organizations and really been kind of pillaged by the rise in outside [political action committee] spending.”
Leading the state chamber
Shortly before he spoke with Spotlight Delaware on Wednesday afternoon, Smith was announced as the next president of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, the state’s most influential business advocacy organization.
A press release announcing Smith’s new role said he was chosen after a national search “based on his experience in public policy, higher education, economic development, and community engagement.”
He succeeds Michael Quaranta, a former chief of staff to the late Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Castle who has led the state chamber since 2018. Quaranta has overseen a growth in membership of the chamber while leading it through a period in which complete Democratic control of state government has sometimes led to a particularly adversarial relationship, such as around the minimum wage increase and the passage of paid leave.
Smith said the role represents a natural progression for his career; he currently serves as strategic initiatives director for the University of Delaware’s College of Health Sciences. He hopes to work at the intersection of business innovation and government to build a Delaware economy that can thrive for future generations.
But the appointment also raises questions about a potential conflict of interest, should Smith win his reelection bid this November, as he would sit at the helm of an organization that often lobbies lawmakers in favor of business-friendly legislation.
And while Smith said those questions are fair, he rebuffed the idea of a possible conflict.
The role of the chamber president is much bigger than government lobbying, Smith said. He pointed to other facets of the role including membership, education and fundraising as areas where his attention will be focused.
He also noted candidates in other legislative races who have ties to advocacy organizations have already been supported by voters, as well as current lawmakers who are presidents or CEOs of organizations that also do direct lobbying to the legislature.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
