Why Should Delaware Care?
If Republicans lose just one seat in the Delaware House of Representatives this November, Democrats will gain a supermajority that would allow them to enact state constitutional amendments with no bipartisan support. Two recent announcements by GOP representatives that they will not seek reelection this fall could further complicate Republican efforts to hold on to any piece of legislative power in the First State.
Recent announcements by state Reps. Kevin Hensley (R-Odessa) and Jeff Hilovsky (R-Long Neck) that they will not seek reelection this fall could add a new wrinkle to House GOP efforts to block Democrats from gaining a supermajority in the General Assembly’s lower chamber.
Republicans must now defend five of their 12 currently-held seats in the House. Losing just one would give Democrats a key two-thirds supermajority – allowing them to amend the state Constitution without any bipartisan support.
And Hensley’s seat, House District 9, could present a unique challenge. The southern New Castle County district that covers Odessa, Townsend and Port Penn boasts nearly twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans.
As of May 1, the district was home to nearly 24,000 registered voters – 10,164 Democrats; 5,854 Republicans; and 7,799 voters unaffiliated with either party.
Republican officials last week acknowledged the importance of holding on to Hensley’s seat, but they also said finding the right candidate to succeed the long-serving representative – along with the four other retiring members of their caucus – is top of mind.
“We still have to find the right people in the right districts,” said House Minority Whip Jeff Spiegelman (R-Clayton) “…Hopefully those people will be able to knock on enough doors and and let the constituents of those areas know how important keeping some semblance of balance in state government is.”
A string of Republican retirements
Hensley announced his decision not to seek reelection last week during a monthly coffee meeting with his constituents. A recent health diagnosis spurred his decision, he said.
His announcement followed a similar one from Hilovsky days prior, in which the Long Neck-area representative said in a statement that he would retire following the end of this year’s legislative session.
Hensley and Hilovsky’s respective announcements follow four other long-serving Republicans — Reps. Charles Postles, Ron Gray, and Richard Collins along with State Sen. Dave Lawson — saying they would not seek reelection.
Currently, nearly one-third of Republicans serving in the General Assembly will retire this fall. Spiegelman, the House Minority Whip, told Spotlight Delaware he was not aware of any other Republican representatives considering retirement.
He acknowledged it can be difficult as a Republican lawmaker in a predominantly Democratic state. But that dynamic, Spiegelman said, makes the upcoming election cycle that much more important.
“Of course we’re getting tired of losing battles,” Spiegelman said. “But again, the most important thing is preserving some semblance of balance in a very blue state.”
He added that Hensley’s retirement was solely due to the Odessa-area representative’s health, and not because of his 2024 drunk driving arrest or because he is tired of serving his constituents.
Lawmakers reflect
In an interview with Spotlight Delaware, Hensley reflected on his 12 years in office. First elected in 2014, he said he was most proud of his work championing education. He specifically pointed to legislation he sponsored to create Delaware’s School Safety and Security Fund, and his work advocating for students with disabilities.
While Hensley said he is stepping away from government to prioritize his health, he did not rule out a return to public service in the future.
“I’m taking life on a day-by-day basis,” Hensley said. “However, I would never say never.”
Hilovsky’s decision to retire, the lawmaker said, was because of his desire to play an active role in his grandchildren’s lives. He said he wants to be able to pick up and visit them on his own schedule, not the General Assembly’s.
He highlighted his legislation surrounding diabetes care and improving financial literacy for Delaware students as work he is particularly proud of.
Hilovsky also stressed the importance of preventing Democrats from winning a supermajority in the House, a move he said would be “catastrophic.”
“I really think that only in the most significant circumstances that the [state] constitution should be changed,” Hilovsky said. “And if we lose one seat, it will change overnight. Multiple things will happen that are not representative of the 45% of Delawareans that are not voting for Democrats.”
Hilovsky said he supports the Republican candidate running to succeed him, Dan Zitofsky. A Democrat, Gregg Lindner, is also running for the District 4 seat.
There currently is not a Republican candidate officially in the race to succeed Hensley in District 9, but he said multiple people have reached out to him expressing their interest in running.
Two Democrats, Gemma Lowery and Michelle Wall, have tossed their hats in the ring and are slated to face off in the Sept. 15 primary election.
“Frankly, my No. 1 goal is to make certain that somebody is in my seat that will work in the best interest of all of our constituents in the ninth district,” Hensley said.
