Campaign Phone
3025889987
Neighborhood/area of residence
Highlands
Education
BA, University of Delaware -- Sociology and Black American Studies; MA, University of Maryland -- Sociology; PhD, Temple University -- Sociology
Work Experience
Sociology Professor at Delaware County Community College -- 25 Years
Community Involvement
Member, Red Clay School Board -- 2013-2023; Member, Board of Directors ACLU Delaware
Cost of living is the challenge underneath all the others. Families in my district are stretched by rent, healthcare, and groceries while our schools go underfunded. I would fix Delaware's broken school funding model with an equitable, weighted system that directs resources to English learners, students with disabilities, and students from low-income families. I would tie the minimum wage to inflation, require that public dollars and tax breaks build affordable homes rather than luxury ones, and lower the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs. These problems are connected: housing instability arrives at the doctor's office and the classroom as someone else's problem. We need legislators willing to do more than nibble around the edges.
Homelessness rose another 16% between 2024 and 2025, the largest increase on record here, and the driver is cost. For every $100 increase in rent, homelessness rises roughly 9%. I would push a package: require public dollars and tax breaks go toward affordable homes, not luxury ones; adopt rent stabilization limiting how much rent can rise each year; pass Just Cause Eviction protections; and strengthen the Landlord-Tenant Code against landlords who won't maintain safe properties. I would fund more emergency shelter beds and permanent supportive housing, and make it illegal to clear encampments when no alternative housing exists. Delaware needs more than 20,000 affordable units. Arrests do not solve homelessness. Housing does.
Very likely. I support safe storage requirements, restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, permit-to-purchase, and red flag protections that let families and law enforcement act before a tragedy. In Wilmington, gun violence is not an abstraction. It shapes whether children can play outside and whether a parent sleeps through the night. Legislation is necessary but not sufficient: I would also fund community violence intervention programs, mental health treatment, and the youth employment and after-school programming that reduce shootings upstream. Public safety and respect for lawful ownership are not in conflict.
No one should be in debt because they got sick. Long term, I support creating a statewide insurance plan that covers every Delawarean, and in the meantime continuing to expand Medicaid to reach the more than 48,000 Delawareans who still lack coverage. I would adequately fund the state's hospital cost review board and act on prescription drug prices. Affordability also means prevention: free annual health assessments so disease is caught early, policies targeting Delaware's rising Black maternal mortality rate, and treating addiction as a health crisis rather than a carceral one. And we must attract and retain medical professionals so wait times fall in the communities already facing shortages.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Neighborhood/area of residence
Wilmington, Delaware
Education
Juris Doctor
Work Experience
• Delaware State Senator, District 1 • United Way of Delaware, Chief Operating Officer • Hope Street Group, Vice President, Education • Delaware Department of Education, Deputy Secretary/Chief of Staff • Christina School District, Assistant Superintendent/Chief of Staff • The Honorable Kent A. Jordan, United States Federal District Court, Judicial Clerk • Corporation Service Company, Associate General Counsel • The Honorable William N. Nicholas, The Honorable William J. Walls, Jr., The Honorable Mardi F. Pyott, State of Delaware Family Court, Judicial Clerk • Office of Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Constituent Affairs
Community Involvement
• Executive Committee, Delaware Community Foundation Board of Directors • Board Chair Emeritus, Delaware Humane Association Board of Directors • Former Chair, Delaware Theatre Company Board of Directors • Former Chair, Delaware Arts Consortium Board of Directors • Former Chair, Delaware Arts Alliance Board of Directors • Former Chair, Philanthropy Delaware Board of Directors • Former Chair, Sussex County Health Coalition Board of Directors • Former Chair, Delaware Affordable Housing Group Board of Directors
Delaware’s greatest challenges are economic security, protecting freedoms, and strengthening democracy. As State Senator, I have fought for working families through paid leave, worker protections, childcare, and legislation like HB 262 and SB 228. I sponsored SCR 102 to highlight ALICE challenges and advance solutions that help families thrive. I championed voting rights through Delaware’s John Lewis Voting Rights Act, protected reproductive freedom and LGBTQ+ equality, and am humbled to be the first openly gay man elected to the Delaware Senate. I support public education, environmental protections, and public health through HB 338. My commitment is ensuring every Delawarean is treated with dignity and has voice and opportunity to thrive.
Homelessness is one of Delaware’s most urgent challenges, and we must address the immediate needs of our neighbors while also preventing homelessness before it occurs. I have worked to advance solutions rooted in dignity, fairness, and opportunity. I was proud to be a co-sponsor Delaware’s Homeless Bill of Rights, affirming that every person deserves respect and equal access to services. As one of my first pieces of legislation as State Senator, I prime sponsored the Right to Representation for Renters, helping ensure tenants facing eviction have a fair chance to remain housed. We must continue investing in affordable housing, supportive services, and prevention strategies that strengthen communities and help every Delawarean find stability
I strongly support responsible gun safety legislation, including safe storage requirements and policies to keep weapons of war out of our communities. As a newly elected State Senator, I immediately showed that my commitment to safer communities was more than words by supporting common-sense gun safety measures and earning the endorsement of the Coalition for a Safer Delaware. I have supported legislation strengthening background checks, safe storage protections, and measures addressing the threat of assault weapons because protecting families, children, and law enforcement must remain a priority. We can respect responsible gun ownership while taking meaningful steps to prevent tragedies and save lives. I will continue this work statewide.!
Delaware must build a healthcare system where quality care is accessible, affordable, and centered on patients. I fought for Senate Bill 1, landmark legislation to make healthcare more affordable and transparent by addressing rising costs for families and employers. I am proud this reform became law and will continue fighting for policies that expand access, improve affordability, and support our ALICE families. As Senate prime sponsor of HB 338, I fought to protect access to vaccinations by requiring insurance carriers to cover immunizations recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, HRSA guidelines, and national standards of care in effect January 1, 2025. Healthcare should be a foundation of hope for all, too
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
