Historically red Sussex County, Delaware, votes Democratic for first time since 2012

Races for several federal and statewide elections were called quickly during this week’s midterm elections. The major races yielded wins for Democrats in an unsurprising turn, maintaining the party’s control of the state. However, in an unexpected upset, conservative stronghold Sussex County found common ground with its northern neighbors in voting blue.

U.S. Sen. Chris Coons was easily reelected to his seat Tuesday night, and secured nearly 51% of Sussex County’s votes, according to the Associated Press. That was also the case for U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride, who received about 53% of the county’s votes, and Attorney General Kathy Jennings, who took home about 52% of the county’s votes.

State Treasurer-elect Ted Lauzen also won his race by a slim margin in the county, receiving about 51% of votes in Sussex, according to the state’s Department of Elections.

“When I ran for Congress, I made two fundamental promises: that I would work with anyone who would work with me to deliver for Delaware and that I would stand up to anyone I believed was hurting Delaware,” McBride said in a released statement. “After two years of showing up in our communities, defending all of our neighbors, and getting results, I am honored that Delawareans have once again placed their trust in me to continue serving them in Congress.”

Evelyn Brady, chair for the Delaware Democratic Party, said she was “thrilled” to see the election outcome in Sussex County.

“While we were confident [statewide candidates] would win their races, Sussex has over the past several cycles not been in [Democrats’] favor,” she told WHYY News. “But to see them win all of  [the counties] is just absolutely amazing.”

A hard left turn

Despite Delaware’s status as a blue state, its southernmost county frequently has diverged right.

The last time Sussex County voted in favor of any Democrat for a statewide or federal position was in 2012. The county voted majorly for the former U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, former U.S. Rep. John Carney and former Gov. Jack Markell.

Since then, Republicans have had a lock on the county. In the 2024 election, President Donald Trump received about 55% of Sussex County’s vote compared with the statewide total of about 42% of votes. Sussex County also voted for him in the 2016 and 2020 election cycle.

McBride was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024 and lost Sussex County to her Republican opponent John Whalen.

Coons was first elected in 2010, but only secured about 40% of Sussex County votes at the time. He had never won the county before Tuesday’s election, marking a shift for him, as well.

In her past campaigns, Jennings also lost in Sussex County, but won statewide. That includes her 2022 race, in which Jennings was elected to her second term with only 41% of the Sussex vote.

According to Brady, Sussex County was part of a larger national “blue wave.”

“I think with the Trump administration, and as we’ve seen around the country, Democrats are winning in places that before this cycle no one thought that they could,” Brady said. “I think Sussex is just showing that Delaware is a microcosm of the country.”