For months, Delaware’s Democratic primary for governor was a cordial competition between two like-minded liberals working the retail circuit. But with few serious policy differences to distinguish them and the Sept. 10 primary just around the corner, both Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long and New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer are quietly counting on their opponent’s ethics controversies to sway the large chunk of remaining undecideds their way.
Hall-Long, a former nursing instructor who boasts endorsements from Gov. John Carney and the state Democratic Party, entered the field with the highest name ID and a small polling advantage. But her bid has been weighed down by a constant spate of bad headlines, almost all of which stem from campaign finance wrongdoings initially brought to light in 2023. They’ve taken a significant toll on her operation; Hall-Long is now on her third campaign manager in less than a year.
Early reports that the candidate failed to properly disclose some $207,000 in campaign payments to her husband nearly compelled Hall-Long to withdraw from the race last September. She ultimately stayed in, filing 13
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