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Progressive candidates are poised to win big in Delaware’s 2026 midterm elections after making huge gains in September’s primary elections, unseating several incumbent Democrats.
The Delaware Working Family Party ousted four Democratic lawmakers in the state House and one in the Senate, its strongest election cycle to date. But to take those seats, these challengers must also best Republican and independents opponents in November.
The party, which has been successfully challenging and unseating Democratic incumbents for the past few election cycles, won eight of the 13 state or county races in which it endorsed candidates.
Working Families Party Political Director Karl Stomberg said their candidates are winning because they are connected to their communities and the issues they care about.
“We should have government work for working people, specifically things like free school meals, rent stabilization,” he said. “I think people are looking for something different, and I think the fact that many of our folks have been doing better the last few cycles is indicative of that.”
The September victories include five new House members, one incumbent state representative, a new state senator and a fresh face on New Castle County Council.
If they win on Nov. 3, it would continue the trend of more diversity in the General Assembly dating back to at least 2019. During the 2018 election cycle, an influx of Black members and women won seats as four Democrats entered the state Senate and eight took their place in the state House.
In one of last month’s closest races, Working Families Party candidate Michelle Booker defeated Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Bolden by just 67 votes. Bolden has represented her Wilmington district for about 16 years.
In another upset, civil rights activist Tyeisha Grier ousted nearly 20-year incumbent Rep. Bill “Lumpy” Carson, D-Smyrna, from his seat with about 57% of the vote, compared to Carson’s nearly 43%.
In the state Senate, Working Family Party candidate Shay Frisby bested Claymont Sen. Ray Seigfried, garnering 58% of the vote compared with the senator’s 41%.
