2024 United States Senate election in Delaware

Not to be confused with 2024 Delaware State Senate election.

2024 United States Senate election in Delaware

←  2018 November 5, 2024 2030  →
Turnout	65.74% [1]
Nominee Lisa Blunt Rochester Eric Hansen Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 283,298 197,753 Percentage 56.59% 39.50%
County results Precinct results Blunt Rochester:      40-50%     50–60%     60–70%     70-80%     80-90%     >90% Hansen:      40-50%     50–60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% Tie:      40-50%     No votes
U.S. senator before election Tom Carper Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester Democratic

The 2024 United States Senate election in Delaware was held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Delaware. Democratic congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester won her first term in office, defeating Republican businessman Eric Hansen. She succeeded Democratic incumbent Tom Carper, who declined to seek a fifth term. ^[2]

This was the first open race for this seat since 1970. Republicans have not won a Senate race in Delaware since 1994. Blunt Rochester is both the first woman and first African American to represent Delaware in the Senate, as she did previously in the House. With Blunt Rochester's win and Angela Alsobrooks winning an open seat in Maryland, this is the first time in history that two African American women serve in the Senate at the same time, and will also make Delaware one of several states to have a younger senior senator (Chris Coons) and an older junior senator (Blunt Rochester). ^[3]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Lisa Blunt Rochester, U.S. representative from Delaware's at-large congressional district ^[4]

Declined

• John Carney, Governor of Delaware (2017–2025) and former U.S. Representative from Delaware's at-large congressional district (2011–2017) (ran for Mayor of Wilmington) ^[5]
• Tom Carper, incumbent U.S. Senator (endorsed Blunt Rochester) ^[2]
• Colleen Davis, Delaware State Treasurer ^[6] (ran for U.S. House) ^[7]
• Kerri Evelyn Harris, state representative and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018 ^[8]

Endorsements

Lisa Blunt Rochester

U.S. senators

• Laphonza Butler, California (2023–2024) ^[9]
• Tom Carper, Delaware (2001–2025) ^[2]
• Carol Moseley Braun, Illinois (1993–1999) ^[9]
• Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader (2021–2025) from New York (1999–present) ^[10]

U.S. representatives

• Barbara Lee, CA-12 (1998–present) ^[11]

Statewide officials

• Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan (2019–present) ^[12]

County officials

• Angela Alsobrooks, County Executive of Prince George's County, Maryland (2018–2024) ^[11]

Organizations

• Black Economic Alliance PAC ^[13]
• Council for a Livable World ^[14]
• EMILY's List ^[15]
• End Citizens United ^[16]
• Feminist Majority PAC ^[17]
• Giffords ^[18]
• Human Rights Campaign ^[19]
• J Street PAC ^[20]
• League of Conservation Voters ^[21]
• National Women's Political Caucus ^[22]
• Planned Parenthood Action Fund ^[23]
• Population Connection Action Fund ^[24]
• Reproductive Freedom for All ^[25]

Labor unions

• National Education Association ^[26]

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of June 30, 2024
Candidate	Raised	Spent	Cash on hand
Lisa Blunt Rochester (D)	$6,971,101	$3,850,139	$3,120,961
Source: Federal Election Commission [27]

Polling

Hypothetical polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Lisa Blunt Rochester	John Carney	Others	Undecided
Slingshot Strategies [28] [A]	October 7–14, 2023	600 (RV)	± 3.9%	43%	33%	9%	15%

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Eric Hansen, businessman ^[29]

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of June 30, 2024
Candidate	Raised	Spent	Cash on hand
Eric Hansen (R)	$940,060 [b]	$571,263	$368,797
Source: Federal Election Commission [27]

Independent Party of Delaware

Candidates

Nominee

• Michael Katz, former Democratic state senator (2009–2013) ^[30]

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of June 30, 2024
Candidate	Raised	Spent	Cash on hand
Michael Katz (IPoD)	$3,500	$2,613	$216
Source: Federal Election Commission [27]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report [31]	Solid D	November 9, 2023
Elections Daily [32]	Safe D	November 9, 2023
Inside Elections [33]	Solid D	November 9, 2023
Sabato's Crystal Ball [34]	Safe D	January 24, 2023
Decision Desk HQ/The Hill [35]	Safe D	June 8, 2024
CNalysis [36]	Solid D	November 21, 2023
RealClearPolitics [37]	Solid D	August 5, 2024
Split Ticket [38]	Safe D	October 23, 2024
538 [39]	Solid D	October 23, 2024

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Lisa Blunt Rochester (D)	Eric Hansen (R)	Michael Katz (I)	Undecided
University of Delaware [40]	September 11–19, 2024	400 (RV)	± 5.8%	52%	32%	6%	10%

Results

United States Senate election in Delaware, 2024 ^[41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Lisa Blunt Rochester	283,298	56.59%	−3.36%
	Republican	Eric Hansen	197,753	39.50%	+1.69%
	Independent Party	Michael Katz	19,555	3.91%	N/A
Total votes			500,606	100.00%	N/A
	Democratic hold

By county

By county
County Lisa Blunt Rochester Democratic Eric Hansen Republican Michael Katz IPoD Margin Total votes # % # % # % # % Kent 44,169 51.20 39,158 45.39 2,941 3.41 5,011 5.81 86,268 New Castle 176,195 65.26 82,475 30.55 11,335 4.20 93,720 34.71 270,005 Sussex 62,934 43.60 76,120 52.74 5,279 3.66 -13,186 -9.14 144,333 Totals 283,298 56.59 197,753 39.50 19,555 3.91 85,545 17.09 500,606

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. $810,000 of this total was self-funded by Hansen

Partisan clients

1. The poll was commissioned by Citizens for Judicial Fairness.

References

1. "2024 General Election". Delaware Department of Elections.
2. Newman, Meredith (May 22, 2023). "U.S. Sen. Tom Carper to retire from politics after nearly 50 years in office". Delaware Online . Retrieved May 22, 2023.
3. Treisman, Rachel (November 6, 2024). "Two Black women will serve together in the Senate for the first time". NPR. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
4. Mizelle, Shawna (June 21, 2023). "Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester announces Senate bid in Delaware". CNN . Retrieved June 21, 2023.
5. Stamm, Dan (April 29, 2024). "From governor to mayor? Delaware's John Carney sets sights on new city leadership role". NBC10 Philadelphia. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
6. "Ballots & Boundaries". Bloomberg Government . May 26, 2023.
7. Newman, Meredith (July 19, 2023). "State Treasurer Colleen Davis enters race for Delaware's US House seat". The News Journal . Retrieved July 19, 2023.
8. Mutnick, Ally (May 30, 2023). "Democrats hope the Senate could finally have more than one Black woman". POLITICO .
9. Kurtz, Josh (August 20, 2024). "DNC notes: Alsobrooks' historic gathering, Schumer's surprise, Raskin's speech". Maryland Matters. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
10. Mutnick, Ally; Otterbein, Holly (June 1, 2023). "Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester to launch run for Delaware Senate seat in June". POLITICO .
11. Weisman, Jonathan (May 16, 2024). "Democrats Aim for a Breakthrough for Black Women in the Senate". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
12. "Fight Like Hell PAC". Fight Like Hell PAC. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
13. Bade, Rachael; Lizza, Ryan; Daniels, Eugene (September 10, 2024). "Playbook: Another GOP spending plan goes poof". Politico . Retrieved September 10, 2024.
14. "Senate Candidates". Council for a Livable World. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
15. Allison, Emily (June 22, 2023). "EMILYs List Endorses Lisa Blunt Rochester for Election to the United States Senate". EMILY's List . Retrieved June 22, 2023.
16. "End Citizens United // Let America Vote Endorses Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester for U.S. Senate". End Citizens United. August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
17. "2024 – Feminist Majority PAC". feministmajoritypac.org. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
18. "GIFFORDS PAC Endorses Lisa Blunt Rochester for US Senate". Giffords. November 17, 2023.
19. "Human Rights Campaign PAC Endorses U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester for Senate". Human Rights Campaign. February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
20. "Lisa Blunt Rochester". JStreetPAC. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
21. "LCV Action Fund Announces First Round of Congressional Endorsements". League of Conservation Voters. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
22. "Endorsed Candidates". National Women's Political Caucus. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
23. "ENDORSEMENT ALERT: Planned Parenthood Action Fund Backs Candidates in Key Senate Races". www.plannedparenthoodaction.org. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
24. "2024 Endorsements". Population Connection Action Fund. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
25. "Reproductive Freedom for All Endorses Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester for U.S. Senate in Delaware". Reproductive Freedom for All. November 16, 2023. Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
26. "Our Recommended Candidates". Education Votes. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
27. "2024 Election United States Senate - Delaware". fec.gov. Federal Election Commission . Retrieved October 16, 2023.
28. Slingshot Strategies
29. Pencek, Matthew (October 18, 2023). "Wilmington Business Manager Hansen Announces Run For Senate". WRDE-FM . Retrieved October 18, 2023.
30. "Former Democrat State Senator To Challange LBR For Carper's US Senate Seat[sic]". First State Update. July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
31. "2024 Senate Race ratings". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
32. "Election Ratings". Elections Daily. August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
33. "Senate Ratings". Inside Elections. January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
34. "2024 Senate". Sabato's Crystal Ball. January 24, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
35. "2024 Senate prediction map". elections2024.thehill.com/. The Hill. June 8, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
36. "'24 Senate Forecast". CNalysis. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
37. "Battle for the Senate 2024". RealClearPolitics . Retrieved August 5, 2024.
38. "2024 Senate Forecast". Split Ticket. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
39. "2024 Election Forecast". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
40. University of Delaware
41. "2024 General Election Report". Delaware Department of Elections. November 13, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.

External links

Official campaign websites

• Lisa Blunt Rochester (D) for Senate
• Eric Hansen (R) for Senate
• Michael Katz (DI) for Senate