“I’m tired of losing” – Senator Lawson launches bid to lead Delaware GOP
DOVER, Del. – State Senator Dave Lawson has announced that he’s running to be the next Chair of the Delaware Republican Party.
WMDT’s Rob Petree met with Senator Lawson this week on Legislative Mall to find out what the future of the party would look like under his leadership, and why he’s running for the position, which would be separate of his legislative duties.
“Honestly, I’m tired of losing,” Senator Lawson said. “We have done nothing but go backwards for many years. We got up to 10 in the Senate at one time, and we instantly lost it, and went backwards. This year, we couldn’t hold a row office!”
Senator Lawson, a Vietnam War veteran and retired Delaware State Trooper, has served in the State Senate since 2010. He tells us change is needed in party leadership and that he knows what it takes to win elections.
“It’s time to make some changes, some structural changes, some deep down changes, so the public understands that we are a viable entity in the State of Delaware,” Senator Lawson said. “Right now, we’re third in registration, not second, third. The Independent Party out-registers us. So, it’s time to get back, get our foundation, our platform, corners laid out, so we can build from that.”
No Republican has been elected to statewide office in Delaware since 2014 and, for decades, Republicans have been in the minority of both chambers of the Delaware General Assembly. That’s what Senator Lawson says needs to change, and would under his leadership.
“We’re going to put the party back in party,” Senator Lawson said emphatically. “We haven’t done that. You go to any of the meetings, it’s ho-hum, it’s drum, it’s more like a funeral dirge than it is a party, and it’s time to get that back.”
Senator Lawson said he wants a better flow of information and that under his leadership he would release financial statements to party officials on a monthly basis.
“We’re putting together some really interesting committees that will make sure that we have representation and a flow of information statewide,” Senator Lawson explained. “We’re going to get it out. I’ve made a commitment that the financial statements will be given to the RD chairs every month.”
If he’s chosen to be the next chair, Senator Lawson said his approach would be a revitalization of the party.
“We can’t draw new people in with this same sad, gray approach to things,” Senator Lawson stressed. “We’ve gotta liven up, we’ve got to get the young people involved, we’ve got to get our registrations up, and we have to make sure our donors have something to bet on.”
Senator Lawson says he would stay on as a Senator in addition to his party duties if he’s elected as the next chair at the party’s convention. A date for the state’s GOP convention has yet to be announced but is expected to be some time in April.
Julianne Murray is the current chair of the party. It’s unclear at this time whether or not she plans to run again to try and remain the party leader.
