The Delaware Senate is composed of 21 members, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term. There is no limit to the number of terms that a Senator may serve. State senators introduce and vote on proposed legislation, approve the annual budget for the state, and serve on assigned committees. The General Assembly of Delaware meets in Dover three days a week between mid-January and the end of June. The Lieutenant Governor serves as the President of the Senate, but only casts a vote if required to break a tie. The President Pro Tempore is a senator elected to the position by a majority of the members to run the mechanics of the Senate, including appointing committees and their members and assigning legislation to committee.
Salary: $51,692/year
Party: Democrat
Campaign Phone: (302) 643-2177
Work Experience: Prior to joining the state senate, spent 24 years working for nonprofits working on affordable housing and community development issues.
Campaign Website: russhuxtable.com
Campaign Facebook Page: Facebook.com/RussforStateSenate
Campaign Twitter Handle: RussSenate
Campaign Email: friendsforrusshuxtable@gmail.com
Education: BA Political Science University of Delaware, minor in History
Community Involvement: Prior volunteer youth soccer coach for a local club for 10 years. Various other activities including organizing Pumpkins in the Park, a social for Lewes in Bloom and then a community gatheRing spot at Zwaanendael for Halloween.
Q: What are the most important challenges facing our state, and how do you propose to address them?
A: Facing our state and facing our district are two different things but related. Housing affordability is a crisis in Delaware and it impacts not just those needing shelter but even everyone else. Housing is healthcare, education and small businesses. If we don’t have the housing for our workforce we can’t support our communities. With the need for more affordable housing options, we also need to be mindful of our environment and natural areas. Balance is needed to ensure infrastructure can match growth and those investments need to be wise and planned. As Delaware ages, our healthcare capacity needs to increase and match that level of growth. We need collaborative solutions to address the issues and I’m ready to continue to do the hard work.
Q: Homelessness in Delaware more than doubled in 2022. What legislation would you propose to reduce the number of unhoused in Delaware?
A: Just this past session, after engaging in a statewide listening tour, I proposed 7 bills to deal with the affordable housing crisis. 6 of those bills were recently signed b the governor. They are a variety of bills that reduce the costs of affordable housing, providing incentives to developers to develop affordable housing and also codified a program that will help families get vital repairs to their home so they remain affordable and don’t become unhoused. There’s more work to be done and I’m co-chairing the General Assembly’s task force on affordable housing. I am prepared to lead on this based on further discussion amongst a variety of stakeholders. I’m pleased the GA has finally increased resources to affordable housing via the budget.
Q: What role should the government play with regard to a woman’s reproductive choices?
A: The government’s role is to reduce regulatory burdens and ensure a woman’s reproductive choices are their own. It’s about ensuring freedom and the government should not be in the middle of the decision between the person and their doctor. With the dissolution of Roe V Wade at the national level, Delaware fortunately codified Roe. We should work to ensure it is constitutionally protected.
Q: We have all read about communities where residents have had to boil water before using it to drink. Are there specific policies you’d support to avoid this from happening in Delaware?
A: There was a bill I co-primed with Rep. Shupe regarding when a property transfers (sold) a water test is required if that home is on well water. Well water is tested when originally installed but never required again. This was a step to help ensure that the purchaser understands what’s in their taps. On a municipal/public level, we need to ensure that proper inspections are occurring and proper notifications are being delivered. With aging infrastructure we need to help plan and coordinate for growth, upkeep and resiliency before it’s an emergency. For some areas we also need to see the cumulative impacts of industrialization on their natural environment and water quality and help those communities mitigate further impacts.
Q: Some states have passed innovative laws that open access to healthcare, housing, and financial services for immigrants. Would you support these measures in Delaware? (Yes or No). Please explain.
A: I’d certainly be open to having the conversations and doing the hard work. We should be cognizant that we are all a part of this community/state whether you’re an immigrant of have lived here all your life or even just relocated to our wonderful state. When we have full participation in the system we are all helping it grow and thrive. It’s community helping community. We are all in it together. So we’d have to figure out the solutions together and the costs of doing something versus the cost of doing nothing.
Q: How likely are you to support gun legislation such as safe storage or banning assault weapons?
A: Support
Q: Do you agree or disagree with this statement: “Mail-in ballots cause voter fraud.”
A: Strongly disagree
Party: Republican
Campaign Phone: (302) 381-6804
Neighborhood/area of residence: Lewes
Work Experience: Journalist, teacher, communications director, fundraiser, mentor coordinator for Cape Henlopen School District
Campaign Website: KimHoeyStevenson.com
Additional Information: Former Vice-Chair Sussex County Planning Commission, former member DelDOT Five Points Working Group, 2023 Delaware Division of the Arts Emerging Artist for Literature in Fiction, 2013 Delaware Young Mother of the Year
Campaign Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/hoeystevensonfor6th
Campaign Email: Kim@kimhoeystevenson.com
Education: BA psychology; AA Biology; Elementary Teacher Certification
Community Involvement: Cape Henlopen School District, Solid Ground Church, Polka Dot Powerhouse, UN Commission on the Status of Women, 1916 member Beebe Foundation, Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park, Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild, Lewes Historical Society, Sussex County Republican Party, Sussex County Republican Women Club, Eastern Sussex Republican Club, Leadership Delaware, Inc. (former board member); American Mothers, Inc; CAMP Rehoboth, League of Women Voters
Q: What are the most important challenges facing our state, and how do you propose to address them?
A: While it would seem, rampant spending or any league of social issues might come to the forefront here, divisiveness is our greatest challenge. We all want clean air, fresh water, good schools, safe communities, vibrant economy. There is no one correct way to achieve those goals. The partisan practices that are resulting in government mandates (i.e. EV mandate) in Delaware are hurting everyone. I will continue to convene conversations between diverse groups with the goal of getting people working together for the good of all Delawareans.
Q: Homelessness in Delaware more than doubled in 2022. What legislation would you propose to reduce the number of unhoused in Delaware?
A: I worked with the Sussex County government to support the ADU (additional dwelling unit) ordinance recently passed allowing residents of the county to rent out garage apartments, etc. to help relieve the immediate stressors in this area. In the long run I think the state should be looking at reworking low-income housing developments already in place in our municipalities and supporting non-profits working in this industry to increase opportunity.
Q: What role should the government play with regard to a woman’s reproductive choices?
A: The government should provide regulatory oversight to make sure clinics providing reproductive health services to women are being inspected for safety, cleanliness and trained professional staff.
Q: We have all read about communities where residents have had to boil water before using it to drink. Are there specific policies you’d support to avoid this from happening in Delaware?
A: We just had this where I live. Here the problem was a burst pipe the city had identified as a problem and had applied for a permit to repair/upgrade the system eight months before. They were still waiting for that permit when it failed. Expedited permitting to keep our drinking water systems maintained and operational would be a good start.
Q: Some states have passed innovative laws that open access to healthcare, housing, and financial services for immigrants. Would you support these measures in Delaware? (Yes or No). Please explain.
A: Delaware has always had a vibrant immigrant population. As members of our community, they should be extended the same healthcare, housing and financial service opportunities as all Delaware residents. Delaware has taken advantage of federal programs providing funding for healthcare and education for migrant workers here. I would support continuing those important programs.
Q: How likely are you to support gun legislation such as safe storage or banning assault weapons?
A: Neither support nor oppose
Q: Do you agree or disagree with this statement: “Mail-in ballots cause voter fraud.”
A: Disagree
The Delaware Journalism Collaborative is a project of the Local Journalism Initiative.
