Education
MBA from UD
Work Experience
Small Business Owner
Community Involvement
Chairman of the Board for The Latin American Community Center. Subcommittee of the Delaware Hispanic Commission. AARP Volunteer.
Additional Information
Jose A. Lopez is a father, community leader, and small business owner raising his family in the Delaware community where he grew up. A product of Delaware’s public school system and a graduate of the University of Delaware, Jose understands the value of opportunity, hard work, and community investment. He is also a third-generation restaurateur whose family arrived in Delaware in 1992 and opened their first restaurant on Concord Pike. Today, Jose owns and operates several Delaware-based businesses. As a small business owner, Jose knows firsthand what it takes to make payroll, navigate red tape, support employees, and build something lasting in Delaware. He also understands the pressures facing local businesses, working families, and communities trying to grow without losing what makes them strong. Jose serves on the Economic Development Subcommittee of the Delaware Hispanic Commission and on the board of The Latin American Community Center. Through that work, he advocates f
Make life more affordable for working families
Lower everyday costs by expanding childcare support and universal pre-K, addressing housing and energy costs, and protecting consumers from unnecessary fees.
Support small businesses and local jobs
Cut regulatory “speed traps,” simplify permits and renewals into one system, and make Delaware a place where small businesses can grow, hire, and compete.
Build safe communities through trust and accountability
Strengthen public safety by improving trust between law enforcement and residents, protecting individual rights and privacy, and ensuring government is transparent, responsive, and accountable.
I would propose an Act focused on prevention, permanent housing, and affordability. It would establish emergency rental assistance so a temporary crisis does not become an eviction, expand supportive housing paired with mental health care, addiction treatment, and employment services, and invest in affordable housing across all three counties. We must also streamline permits, redevelop vacant properties, and allow more housing options where appropriate. Every program should be measured by how quickly people obtain permanent housing and whether they remain stable. Our goal must be to prevent homelessness, not simply manage it.
Count on my support for commonsense gun-safety legislation, including safe-storage requirements and restrictions on assault weapons. Responsible gun ownership and public safety are not mutually exclusive. We can respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners while keeping firearms away from children, individuals who pose a danger, and those who intend to commit violence. I would evaluate each bill carefully, but I will support effective, constitutional measures that reduce gun violence, prevent suicide, and keep our schools and communities safe.
Delaware needs a long-term strategy that lowers costs without sacrificing access or quality. I would strengthen primary and preventive care, expand mental health and addiction services, and address shortages of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. We should increase price transparency, reduce prescription drug costs, and hold insurers and large healthcare systems accountable for unnecessary cost increases. I also support expanding coverage and investing in community health centers so residents can receive care before a manageable condition becomes an expensive emergency. Healthcare policy should be measured by better outcomes and lower costs for patients.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
Neighborhood/area of residence
Westgate Farms
Education
MA - Political Science, University of Delaware; BA - Economics & Political Science, Muhlenberg College
Work Experience
Full Time Legislator
Community Involvement
I served as a member of the Parish Council at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Wilmington, an organizer of the annual Holy Trinity Greek Festival and volunteered as a church youth group advisor and Sunday School teacher. Also, I previously served on the board of the Claymont Community Center, as treasurer of the Delaware Press Association, as president of the Delaware Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
Additional Information
In addition to having run my own small business before I was elected in 2020, I taught courses as an adjunct instructor at Wilmington University. I currently chair the Senate Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology Committee and am vice chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. I also serve as a member of the Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee; Rules & Ethics Committee; and the Joint Capital Improvement Committee.
Rising costs of health care, housing, and energy continue to strain the budgets of working families. I will continue fighting to expand affordable housing, reduce health care costs, and keep energy affordable.
This year, we took an important step forward by updating Delaware's school funding formula to direct resources more fairly to students who need them most. We must continue building on this progress by supporting educators, investing in schools, and ensuring every student has the resources to succeed.
We must also be prepared to respond to uncertainty at the federal level by protecting programs like SNAP and Medicare, defending civil liberties and reproductive freedom, and using every tool available to support Delaware families.
Addressing homelessness requires a comprehensive approach that meets the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness while helping Delawareans remain stably housed. Delaware faces an affordable housing shortage of over 19,000 affordable rental units.
We must continue investing in affordable housing production, strengthen eviction prevention efforts, and expand access to rental assistance. We must also support critical safety-net programs like the HOPE Center, which provides housing and wraparound services to help people overcome barriers and thrive in their communities.
Reducing homelessness will require sustained investment, collaboration with community partners, and a commitment to ensuring that every Delawarean has a home.
I voted in support of legislation banning assault weapons in 2022. While I was not in office in 2019 when Delaware passed its first safe storage law, I support responsible firearm ownership, which includes safely securing firearms to help prevent accidents and theft.
I believe we can respect the rights of law-abiding firearm owners while advancing common-sense measures that promote public safety.
Throughout my time in the Senate, I’ve worked to lower health care costs and improve care by sponsoring legislation to eliminate medical debt for thousands of Delawareans, protect hospitals from private equity ownership, and strengthen staffing standards for long-term care facilities.
These are meaningful steps, but there’s more work to do. We must continue to work to lower prescription drug costs, strengthen our health care workforce, and expand access to primary and behavioral health care. As Delaware’s aging population grows, our health care system must be prepared to meet their needs.
We also need greater transparency across our health care system to better understand cost drivers and develop effective solutions.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree
