SUSSEX COUNTY, Del -The race in the Democratic Primary for Delaware's House District Seat 14 features more than just policy differences. There are also personal tensions between the camps of Kathy McGuiness and Claire Snyder-Hall.
In dispute at one point during the summer, was the endorsement from the man who has held the seat for over 20 years. Pete Schwartzkopf was first elected to the General Assembly in 2002. He is backing McGuiness. The former State Auditor was ousted in her attempt to win election to that post in the 2022 primary. It was on the heels of a criminal trial with the net result of misdemeanor guilty convictions for conflict of interest and official misconduct.
Convictions that had no barring on former Speaker of the House Scwartzkopf.
"She is born and raised here," Schwartzkopf told CoastTV News. "The other two aren't. She understands the district. She understands the issues. She understands the people. I can't think of anybody better."
During the campaign, Schwartzkopf claimed that Snyder-Hall implied he was endorsing her. Each posted statements, with Snyder-Hall refuting it by stating, "I have never, ever said that Pete Schwartzkopf endorsed me, nor have I ever purposely implied that he endorsed me.
McGuiness is the only one of the three Democrats who has held office (State Auditor 2019-2022 and prior as a Rehoboth Beach Commissioner). Snyder-Hall enters this race as a progressive activist leading the Delaware office of Common Cause. Each of the three Democrats running are attempting to leverage their specific experiences.
Marty Rendon has stayed out of the endorsement controversy. He is touting his experience as a Congressional aide on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. and also as directing Congressional relations with UNICEF.
"My entire professional career has been in legislation and in advocacy," Rendon told CoastTV News in an exclusive interview. "I worked on the staff of the House Rules Committee for eight years. We were involved in covering all the legislation that came to the House floor. I have the technical know how."
Snyder-Hall is emphasizing many of the platform items that were highlighted during the August Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
"2024 is the most important election of our lifetime, LGBTQ plus rights are on the ballot and democracy itself is on the ballot," Snyder-Hall told CoastTV news. "I really want to do something. It's too important to sit this one out. I would absolutely protect reproductive choice and want to see that in the Constitution."
After leaving office in 2022, McGuiness resumed her work as a pharmacist and hopes to address health care if elected.
"We have a health care crisis in Sussex County," McGuiness said. "Folks that are choosing between medicine and food and they can't get providers. We need a talent retainer here."
Early voting ends in Delaware on Sept. 8. The primary election day is Sept. 10.
