Coons and Katz to Face Off for U.S. Senate in November
Image Courtesy of Senator Chris Coons
DELAWARE – Preliminary results from Delaware’s Primary Election place incumbent Senator Chris Coons and Michael Katz as the candidates for this fall’s U.S. Senate race in the First State, according to the Associated Press.
Democratic Primary Results
As of 8:55 p.m. on Tuesday night, Coons leads the Democratic primary race with 36,936 votes, with just 45 percent of ballots counter. Appelhans trails behind in second with 4,190 votes, Louve in third with 3,116 votes, and Hansen in fourth with 1,561 votes.
Senator Coons has served in the U.S. Senate since Nov. 2010. Prior to his time on Capitol Hill, Coons worked as a nonprofit executive and attorney, as well as serving as the president of the New Castle County Council, and later as the County Executive. He currently serves as the Vice Chairman to the Senate Ethics Committee and is a ranking member of the Subcommittee on Department of Defense. Senator Coons has most recently called on Congress to pass legislation regulating artificial intelligence (AI), and often co-sponsors bipartisan legislation.
“Thank you to every volunteer and grassroots donor who supported this campaign, and to every Democrat who raised their hand to run for office in Delaware,” Senator Coons said in a post to social media, following his election win. “This moment requires all of us, and I’m proud to be in this fight with you.”
The Democratic primary to represent Delaware in the U.S. Senate was a four-way race between incumbent Senator Chris Coons, Jeff Appelhans, E. No-Trump Hansen, and Mary Louve.
Appelhans, who has worked as a historian since earning a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware in 2018, described himself as a “qualified Delaware Democratic alternative.” His campaign focused on creating a people-powered movement, regulating AI, and making healthcare more accessible.
Hansen, who legally changed his name from “Eric” to “E. No-Trump”, ran a campaign focused on lowering the cost of living. Hansen also advocated for protecting jobs in amidst the rise of AI, reinforcing Social Security, and limiting presidential power. He also ran on requiring a balanced-budget while raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. Hansen previously served as an executive at multiple corporations, including Walmart and Johnson & Johnson.
Louve centered her campaign around supporting working families, bolstering resources for mental health, and reforming family court and the system’s approach to domestic violence. She has worked as a Naval Architect and Marine Engineer, which has also led her to advocate for increasing the United States’ maritime endeavors; including offshore wind development and increasing ship-building.
Republican Primary Results
Image Courtesy of Katz for Delaware
Additionally, Katz leads the Republican primary race with 12,721 votes. Shulli trails behind in second with 4,115 votes, with just 34 percent of ballots counted.
Katz previously served as a member of the Delaware State Senate, representing District 4 from 2009-2013. Outside of serving as an elected official, his professional experience includes working as a physician and anesthesiologist. His campaign highlighted a Delaware First strategy, particularly focused on healthcare reform and protecting Medicare and Medicaid. He was endorsed by both the Delaware Republican Party and the Sussex and Northern New Castle County Republican parties.
The Republican primary to represent Delaware in the U.S. Senate was a two-way race between Michael “Dr. Mike” Katz and John Shulli.
The winners of the respective primaries will face off on Nov. 5 in the General Election. They will also face Dexter Bland, who is running as an Independent, and Travis Stevens, who is running as an unaffiliated write-in candidate.
