Meet the Candidates: Democratic Nominee for DE House District 20

Salisbury, Md. – On Tuesday, incumbent Rep. Alonna Berry and businesswoman Ruby Schaeffer will face off during Delaware’s Primary Election for the Democratic nomination for House District 20, which encompasses Milton, Lewes and Rehoboth Beach.

Both candidates say they want to focus on health care, infrastructure and education.

One of the biggest points of contention between the candidates is Senate Bill 23, also known as The Housing for Every Delawarean Act. SB 23 is a housing reform bill that Berry co-sponsored.

Berry argues the bill is necessary to build effectively and responsibly, and said it works in tandem with another bill she co-sponsored, House Bill 450, also known as The Road to Delaware Act. Berry says HB 450 addresses infrastructure and developer responsibility, and says there’s room for flexibility upon review for both bills.

“Once a new law is passed, if there needs to be any fixes or changes or adjustments, you run an amendment,” she said. “And if there’s a need to change a word or two, we change it. And I’ve made that commitment from the beginning.”

However, Schaeffer is strongly against the bill.

“That bill is going to create a huge burden on our county, because we’re already overburdened with our infrastructure and services,” she said. “And that bill means the developer gets his permit today, starts building tomorrow, and my question is, where is the plan for infrastructure and services if those houses go up at a rapid rate?”

She criticized the bill, saying the language in the legislation doesn’t do enough to ensure affordable and workforce housing is being built. She also alleges the bill severely limits public input.

As a former educator, another of Berry’s priorities has been education, and she co-sponsored and voted to redesign Delaware’s school funding formula but says it’s important to monitor it to make sure its implementation is doing what it’s designed to do.

Schaeffer says that, if elected, she would support an impact fee for school developers to raise revenue.

Berry won a special election last year, coming in the middle of former Rep. Stell Parker-Selby’s term, winning by just 121 votes.

“I think we saw this past summer and during the special election as a reflection of the diversity of perspective and thought in this district. I think those things consistently make this district stronger,” she said. “It means and requires that someone sitting in the seat really has to listen and understand what constituents are saying and their perspectives.”

Schaeffer was once registered as a Republican to support her husband’s run for office but says she’s always subscribed to the Democratic platform.

“I’ve always been a Democrat just because I changed … the letter behind my name doesn’t mean that I changed my values,” Schaeffer said.

However, she also said she’d be a stronger candidate among Republicans during the general election.

“Having ties with my husband, Mark, who was a Republican and is now a Democrat … people recognize both of us on the Republican side,” Schaeffer said. “So I can think I can draw many more voters on the Republican side of the ticket, or the side of the voters, and actually, I will win that race when I win this primary.”

Polling Places are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, and both candidates encourage Delawareans to get out and vote.