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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Education

  • BS, Business Administration, University of Delaware, 1971

Professional Experience

  • BS, Business Administration, University of Delaware, 1971
  • Owner, G and E, Incorporated/Hockers Super Center, 1971-present
  • Co-Owner, CEA-DAG Apartments, present
  • Owner, G and E Hardware, present
  • Former Director, Mercantile Peninsula Bank
  • Member, Board of Directors, First National Bank of Frankford, 1981

Political Experience

  • BS, Business Administration, University of Delaware, 1971
  • Owner, G and E, Incorporated/Hockers Super Center, 1971-present
  • Co-Owner, CEA-DAG Apartments, present
  • Owner, G and E Hardware, present
  • Former Director, Mercantile Peninsula Bank
  • Member, Board of Directors, First National Bank of Frankford, 1981
  • Minority Leader, Delaware State Senate, 2019-present
  • Senator, Delaware State Senate, District 20, 2012-present
  • Former Minority Whip, Delaware State House of Representatives
  • Representative, Delaware State House of Representatives, District 38, 2002-2012
  • Candidate, Delaware State Senate, District 20, 2000

Former Committees/Caucuses

Former Member, Bond Committee, Delaware State Senate

Former Member, Capital Involvement Committee, Delaware State Senate

Member, Consumer and Commercial Home Inspector Task Force

Former Member, Elections & Government Affairs Committee, Delaware State Senate

Former Member, Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Committee, Delaware State Senate

Former Member, Joint Capital Improvement (Bond) Committee, Delaware State Senate

Former Member, Labor Committee, Delaware State Senate

Member, Tax Ditch Task Force

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Corrections & Public Safety Committee

Member, Energy Committee

Member, Environmental & Natural Resources Committee

Member, Executive Committee

Member, Legislative Council

Member, Rules & Ethics Committee

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • BS, Business Administration, University of Delaware, 1971
  • Owner, G and E, Incorporated/Hockers Super Center, 1971-present
  • Co-Owner, CEA-DAG Apartments, present
  • Owner, G and E Hardware, present
  • Former Director, Mercantile Peninsula Bank
  • Member, Board of Directors, First National Bank of Frankford, 1981
  • Minority Leader, Delaware State Senate, 2019-present
  • Senator, Delaware State Senate, District 20, 2012-present
  • Former Minority Whip, Delaware State House of Representatives
  • Representative, Delaware State House of Representatives, District 38, 2002-2012
  • Candidate, Delaware State Senate, District 20, 2000
  • Board of Directors, Baltimore Trust Company, 2004-present
  • Founder, Springtime Jamboree, 1982-present
  • Member, Better Business Bureau, 1971-present
  • Honorary Member, Millville Fire Company, 1971-present
  • Member, National Federation of Independent Business, 1971-present
  • Member, Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce, present
  • Member, Ocean View Church of Christ, present
  • Former Member, Board of Directors, Friends of the South Coastal Library
  • Spokesperson, United Way, Southeastern Sussex, 2004
  • Co-Capital Campaign Chair, Friends of South Coastal Library, 1999

Other Info

Date of Wedding Anniversary:

June 14, 1969

Policy Positions

Delaware State Legislative Election 2012 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

2. Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
- Yes

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- No

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- No Answer

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

7. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
- No

8. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- Yes

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, & Tax

State Spending:

Using the key, indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Education (higher)
- Maintain Status

2. Education (K-12)
- Slightly Increase

3. Environment
- Greatly Increase

4. Health care
- Greatly Increase

5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Greatly Increase

6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Greatly Increase

7. Welfare
- Maintain Status

8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

State Taxes:

Using the key,indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

2. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

3. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Decrease

4. Gas/Oil taxes
- Slightly Decrease

5. Property taxes
- Maintain Status

6. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Eliminate

7. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Greatly Decrease

8. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

9. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

Budget Stabilization:

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Delaware's budget.

1. Tapping into Delaware's "rainy day" fund
- No

2. Increasing tuition rates at public universities
- No

3. Reducing or eliminating public worker collective bargaining
- Yes

4. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
- No

5. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
- No

6. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?

1. Individual
- No

2. Political Action Committee
- No

3. Corporate
- No

4. Political Party
- No

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- No

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

8. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- Yes

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Do you support decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
- No

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes

5. Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- No

6. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

2. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- Yes

3. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No

4. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

5. Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

6. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- Yes

7. Do you support requiring owners of mobile home parks to justify rent increases above the Consumer Price Index?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
- No

2. Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
- Yes

3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- Yes

4. Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
- Yes

5. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- Yes

6. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

7. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Delaware high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- Yes

3. Do you support state funding for improvements to Delaware's energy infrastructure?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Yes

5. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- No

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

4. Should a license be required for gun possession?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No

5. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes

6. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- Yes

2. Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions?
- No

3. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Delaware's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

4. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Delaware's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, on an attached page, or via e-mail, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- (1) Regulatory Reform which will in turn help existing businesses grow & help new businesses start up. In a small state this is the only hope We have for job growth. (2) Expanded police protection, both local and state.

Speeches