The 2016 United States House of Representatives election in Delaware was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the U.S. representative from the state of Delaware from Delaware's at-large congressional district. The election coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on September 13.
Democrat John Carney, the incumbent representative, did not run for reelection, instead successfully running for governor of Delaware. Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester won the open seat on November 8.
When she was sworn into office on January 3, 2017, she became the first woman and the first African-American to represent Delaware in Congress.
Democratic primary Democrats Bryon Short, a member of the Delaware House of Representatives from Highland Woods, and Bryan Townsend, a member of the Delaware Senate from Newark, Delaware, had previously said they would run for the seat if Carney ran for governor. Following Carney's announcement that he would run for governor, both Short and Townsend declared their candidacies in the race to succeed him. Lisa Blunt Rochester, the former State Labor Secretary, also joined the race. Short later withdrew from the race, citing difficulties fundraising. Rochester won the primary with 43.8% of the vote.Delaware Primary results
Candidates Nominee Lisa Blunt Rochester, former state labor secretary, former state personnel director, and former CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League
Eliminated in primary Sean Barney, former policy director for Governor Jack Markell and nominee for state treasurer in 2014 Mike Miller, businessman and perennial candidate Bryan Townsend, state senator
Withdrawn Bryon Short, state representative
Declined Chris Bullock, president of the New Castle County Council (running for re-election) John Carney, incumbent U.S. representative (running for governor) Marla Blunt Carter, college professor and former congressional aide Jack Markell, governor of Delaware Brenda Mayrack, former executive director of the Delaware Democratic Party and nominee for state auditor in 2014 Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation and former State Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Dennis E. Williams, former state representative and nominee in 1996 and 1998
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered SamplesizeMargin oferror SeanBarney LisaBlunt Rochester MikeMiller BryanTownsend ScottWalker EliasWeir Other UndecidedFairleigh Dickinson UniversityFairleigh Dickinson University July 20–24, 2016 344 ± 5.3% 4% 11% 9% 11% 6% 0% 1% 52%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing April 17–18, 2016 1,026 ± 3.1% 12% 8% — 19% — — — 61%
Results
Republican primary Hans Reigle, a former mayor of Wyoming, Delaware, and the former chairman of the Kent County Republican Party, ran unopposed on the ballot for the Republican nomination.
Candidates Nominee Hans Reigle, former mayor of Wyoming and former chairman of the Kent County Republican Party
Failed to file Rose Izzo, conservative activist, candidate for the seat in 2010 and 2012 and nominee in 2014 (never filed for primary)
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror HansReigle Other UndecidedFairleigh Dickinson University July 20–24, 2016 224 ± 6.6% 26% 14% 55%
General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 7, 2016Daily Kos ElectionsNovember 7, 2016 RothenbergNovember 3, 2016 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 7, 2016RCPOctober 31, 2016
Polling {| class="wikitable" |- valign= bottom ! Poll source ! Date(s)administered ! Samplesize ! Margin oferror ! style="width:100px;"| LisaBluntRochester (D) ! style="width:100px;"| HansReigle (R) ! style="width:40px;"| Other ! style="width:40px;"| Undecided |- |University of DelawareUniversity of Delaware | align=center| September 16–28, 2016 | align=center| 900 | align=center| ± 3.8% | align=center| 46% | align=center| 26% | align=center| 11% | align=center| 18%
Results
CountyLisa Blunt RochesterDemocraticHans ReigleRepublicanAll Others#%#%#%New Castle158,80363.97%80,35632.37%9,0923.66%Kent33,11346.59%35,35349.75%2,6013.66%Sussex41,63841.08%56,59255.83%3,1342.09% Totals233,55455.52%172,30140.96%14,8273.53%
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Kent (largest city: Dover)
References
External links U.S. House election in Delaware, 2016 at Ballotpedia Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets
Official campaign websites (archived) Sean Barney (D) for Congress Lisa Blunt Rochester (D) for Congress Bryan Townsend (D) for Congress Rose Izzo for Congress Hans Reigle for Congress