Delaware GOP expresses fear toward Democratic supermajorities

Why Should Delaware Care?
The Delaware General Assembly is responsible for passing state laws that impact everyone in the state. Lawmaking usually involves debate from factions of legislators. But with a new supermajority for Democrats, the ability for Republicans to push back has been weakened. .  

With Delaware Democrats’ decisive victories in the general election, Republicans in the legislature are now expressing fears that their voices could go unheard in Dover if lawmakers veer to the left. 

When the 2027 legislative session begins in January, Democrats will have big enough supermajorities in both legislative chambers to pass amendments to the Delaware Constitution without Republican votes. 

The outcome echoes results nationally from the November election, with Republicans now facing diminished power in statehouses across the country and in Congress.  

In interviews with Spotlight Delaware, three Republican legislators and one outgoing member said they fear their Democratic colleagues could now change the Constitution along politically divisive issues, such as restricting gun rights and enshrining the right to abortion into the state’s highest law. 

“I’m very concerned about what may happen,” Rep. Bryan Shupe (R-Milford South) said. 

Democratic leaders have not said they intend to pass amendments related to guns, but noted they do plan to change the Constitution with respect to voting and reproductive health.

In that process, Rep. Jeffrey Spiegelman (R-Clayton) said he fears that legitimate GOP concerns might not be considered because of his party’s weakened position.  

“The smaller we become, the harder it is to hear our voice from all the way down here,” Spiegelman said. 

Asked about the Republican fears, House Speaker Melissa Minor Brown (D-New Castle) acknowledged that Democrats do not have to ask the GOP for votes, but said her party will be “responsible lawmakers.”

House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris (D-Dover) told Spotlight Delaware that her party’s members intend to work with Republicans, like they have done so in past years when Democrats also controlled both chambers. 

Harris also said she will continue to push a proposal to allow voters to approve constitutional amendments after they pass the legislature. If enacted, the change would diminish Democratic lawmaker’s ability to unilaterally change the constitution. 

In response to Democratic assurances, Spiegelman, who recently stepped down from his role as Minority Whip, offered a cautionary quip to Minor-Brown about the corruptive nature of political power. 

“I hope she’s extremely successful in overcoming the old adage about absolute power,” he said. 

Spiegelman also noted that he has the “utmost respect” for the House Speaker. 

How can Delaware Republicans move forward?

During the upcoming legislative session, the Delaware House of Representatives will be composed of 30 Democrats and 11 Republicans after the GOP lost three seats during the general election. 

The Senate will have 15 Democrats and six Republicans, the same as last session. 

While the results mean that Democrats can unilaterally change the Delaware Constitution, the party will still need Republican votes to pass the state’s annual capital budget – commonly called the Bond Bill. 

In past years, Senate Republicans have used their leverage over the Bond Bill to negotiate for preferred legislation, including in 2025 when lawmakers struck a last-minute wind energy deal that released a hold on the budget.

Still, Shupe said he doesn’t want his party to hold up the Bond Bill as a negotiating tactic in the future, arguing instead for his caucus to “be more forceful about (the state’s) spending habits.”  

He also argued for his colleagues to share alternative solutions when critiquing Democratic proposals. 

Outgoing Rep. Rich Collins (R-Millsboro) also said the election results were less of a rebuke of Delaware Republicans and more of establishment Democrats, noting that many lost in September primaries to progressive challengers. 

But he worries that more progressive lawmakers would be even less likely to listen to the Republican perspective. That could make the state less business-friendly, he said.

Delaware’s budget relies heavily on revenue from the fees and taxes generated by the two millions U.S. companies that maintain their legal home in the state. 

“I think there are going to be long-term consequences for the people of Delaware they are not aware of yet, that haven’t come to fruition yet,” Collins said. 

Sen. Bryant Richardson (R-Seaford) said he thinks the Republican Party needs to focus on finding good candidates, communicating their party’s values to constituents and fundraising.

And like Collins, he also warned of a leftward tilt in Dover.  

“They are always looking over their shoulder to make sure that they’re doing the right thing according to the will of the Working Families Party,” he said. 

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