EXCLUSIVE: Delaware Lt. Governor candidates clash over criminal justice reform
DOVER, Del. – With just three more weeks to go until election day, the race for Lt. Governor in the First State is heating up. The Republican candidate is calling out her Democratic opponent in a war of words exclusively on WMDT News.
Republican candidate for Lt. Governor and former State Representative Ruth Briggs-King took aim at her Democratic opponent, State Senator Kyle Evans-Gay, citing serious concerns over her past attempts to reform criminal justice in Delaware.
The criticism comes over Senate Bill 4 from the 152nd General Assembly, legislation that was introduced in 2023 that Evans-Gay co-sponsored which Briggs-King claims would have put certain perpetrators, including domestic violence offenders, before their victims by removing certain technical probation violations.
“It’s sort of baffling to me how you want to say that you’re a woman, and you’re a mom, and these things, and yet I don’t see where you’re seeking to protect those women,” Briggs-King told WMDT News Anchor Rob Petree in an exclusive interview. “When you’re saying we’re going to erase technical violations it’s almost like you’re flip-flopping. Are you going to protect victims of domestic violence, or are you going to not place any restrictions on those perpetrators?”
While the legislation, as it was written at the time, failed and was ultimately substituted, Briggs-King says that same prospect could’ve applied to sex offenders as well, creating what she described as potentially dangerous situations for children in Delaware.
“She proposed legislation that would basically take those technical violations away,” Briggs-King stated. “It also would mean that sex offenders, those convicted of sex offending, there would be no restrictions on them to attend parades, to be at events where children were, to be near schools.”
We reached out to Senator Kyle Evans-Gay who agreed to interview and was quick to fire back at those claims, defending her record of criminal justice reform.
“I have worked on creating additional penalties for those who are endangering our children,” Senator Evans-Gay said emphatically. “Working on the Child Protection Accountability Commission, and making sure that we’re protecting children, our most vulnerable citizens.”
Sen. Evans-Gay went on to call out Briggs-King, saying she failed to come up with solutions to make a difference during her time in the Delaware House of Representatives.
“My opponent served in the legislature for many years and did have opportunities to do the type of good work that is possible in criminal justice reform in focusing on restorative justice,” Sen. Evans-Gay told our Rob Petree. “But, unfortunately, she failed to do that and now wants to make complaints about the good work that has been done.”
Briggs-King then went a step further, digging at Sen. Evans-Gay’s experience while touting her own.
“She’s relatively new as far as to any kind of legislation. Not having completed a full-term,” Briggs-King said. “I’ve walked the walk for a long time and provided a lot in our communities, very engaged in our communities. I’m not afraid to go in communities that are lacking or want. I don’t come from an affluent area – like some people up North.”
In response, Sen. Evans-Gay refused to play into what she described as divisive campaign tactics and instead said she plans to stay focused on a positive campaign.
“It’s really important that we in Delaware don’t let the divisive tactics that our national scene has seen infiltrate in Delaware,” Sen. Evans-Gay said. “For me, it’s about a message of hope, a message of optimism, and most importantly a commitment not just to articulating the work, but to getting the work done starting on November 6.”
Both will face off in the general election three weeks from now on Tuesday, November 5. The winner will replace outgoing Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long.
