# 2024 United States House of Representatives election in Delaware

The 2024 United States House of Representatives election in Delaware was held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States House of Representatives to represent the state of Delaware from its at-large congressional district. The election coincided with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the U.S. House, elections to the United States Senate, and various other state and local elections.
Incumbent Democratic representative Lisa Blunt Rochester was first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2022 with 55.5% of the vote. Blunt Rochester declined to seek re-election, instead running for the U.S. Senate. The primary election took place on September 10, 2024. Sarah McBride won the primary election on September 10, 2024, and the general election on November 5, and is the first openly transgender member of Congress.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Sarah McBride, state senator

#### Eliminated in primary

* Earl Cooper, traffic control business owner
* Elias Weir, accounts payable supervisor and perennial candidate

#### Withdrew

* Colleen Davis, Delaware State Treasurer (endorsed McBride)
* Eugene Young, director of the Delaware State Housing Authority and candidate for mayor of Wilmington in 2016

#### Declined

* Lisa Blunt Rochester, incumbent U.S. representative (ran for U.S. Senate, endorsed McBride)
* Elizabeth Lockman, state senator (endorsed McBride)
* Bryan Townsend, Majority Leader of the Delaware Senate and candidate for this seat in 2016 (endorsed McBride)

### Endorsements
#### U.S. senators

* Tom Carper, U.S. senator from Delaware (2001–2025)

#### U.S. representatives

* Pete Aguilar, CA-33 (2015–present), Chair of the House Democratic Caucus (2023–present)
* Lisa Blunt Rochester, DE-AL (2017–present)
* Katherine Clark, MA-05 (2013–present), House Minority Whip (2023–present)
* Lois Frankel, FL-22 (2013–present)
* Pramila Jayapal, WA-07 (2017–present)
* Hakeem Jeffries, NY-08 (2013–present), House Minority Leader (2023–present)
* Annie Kuster, NH-02 (2013–present)
* Nancy Pelosi, CA-11 (1987–present) and former Speaker of the House (2007–2011, 2019–2023)
* Mark Pocan, WI-02 (2013–present)
* Jamie Raskin, MD-08 (2017–present)
* Mark Takano, CA-39 (2013–present)
* Ritchie Torres, NY-15 (2021–present)

#### Statewide officials

* John Carney, Governor of Delaware (previously endorsed Eugene Young)
* Colleen Davis, Delaware State Treasurer
* Matthew Denn, former Attorney General of Delaware (2015–2019)
* Kathy Jennings, Attorney General of Delaware (2019–present)
* Trinidad Navarro, Delaware Insurance Commissioner (2017–present)
* Lydia York, Delaware Auditor of Accounts (2023–present)

#### State legislators

* 13 state senators
* 17 state representatives

#### Local officials

* Annise Parker, former mayor of Houston, Texas (2010–2016) and president of LGBTQ Victory Fund

#### Individuals

* Sara Nelson, Association of Flight Attendants International President (2014–present)
* Kelley Robinson, president of Human Rights Campaign

#### Organizations

* American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
* Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC
* Delaware State Education Association
* Democratic Majority for Israel
* EMILY's List
* End Citizens United
* Equality PAC
* Human Rights Campaign
* League of Conservation Voters
* LGBTQ Victory Fund
* LPAC
* National Center for Transgender Equality Action Fund
* National Education Association
* National Organization for Women PAC
* National Women's Political Caucus
* NewDem Action Fund
* Our Revolution
* Planned Parenthood Action Fund
* Population Connection Action Fund
* Reproductive Freedom for All
* Stonewall Democratic Club
* Stonewall Democrats of Delaware

#### Labor unions

* AFSCME Council 81
* Amalgamated Transit Union
* Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
* CWA Local 13101
* IBB Local 13
* IBEW Local 313
* International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1
* International Union of Elevator Constructors Locals 5 and 7
* International Union of Operating Engineers Local 541
* Iron Workers Local 451
* IUPAT District Council 21
* Laborers' Union Local 199
* Teamsters Local 326
* United Food and Commercial Workers Local 27

#### Organizations

* Vote Mama

#### Local officials

* 10 mayors

#### US senators

* Cory Booker, U.S. senator from New Jersey

#### Statewide officials

* John Carney, governor of Delaware

### Fundraising

Italics indicate a withdrawn candidate.
Campaign finance reports as of March 31, 2024 :
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Sarah McBride (D) | $1,867,314 | $612,290 | $1,255,024 |
| Colleen Davis (D) | $162,553 | $150,465 | $12,088 |
| Eugene Young (D) | $401,188 | $158,019 | $243,169 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission ||||

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Colleen Davis | Sarah McBride | Eugene Young | Other | Undecided |
| Slingshot Strategies | October 7–14, 2023 | 600 (RV) | ± 3.9% | 6% | 22% | 4% | — | 68% |
| Change Research | September 7–12, 2023 | 531 (LV) | — | 12% | 44% | 23% | 2% | 18% |

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Sarah McBride | 66,764 | 79.9 |
| | Democratic | Earl Cooper | 13,557 | 16.2 |
| | Democratic | Elias Weir | 3,286 | 3.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 83,607 | 100.0 |

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* John Whalen, retired building contractor

#### Eliminated in primary

* Donyale Hall, general contractor and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2020

#### Withdrew

* Joseph Arminio, physician

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Whalen | 19,880 | 55.8 |
| | Republican | Donyale Hall | 15,752 | 44.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 35,632 | 100.0 |

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid D | July 28, 2023 |
| Inside Elections | Solid D | July 28, 2023 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe D | June 8, 2023 |
| Elections Daily | Safe D | June 8, 2023 |
| CNalysis | Solid D | November 16, 2023 |

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Sarah McBride (D) | John Whalen (R) | Undecided |
| University of Delaware | September 11–19, 2024 | 400 (RV) | ± 5.8% | 52% | 31% | 17% |

### Results

2024 Delaware's at-large congressional district :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Sarah McBride | 287,830 | 57.86% | +2.39% |
| | Republican | John Whalen | 209,606 | 42.14% | −0.83% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 497,436 | 100.00% | N/A |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

#### By county

By county :
| County | Sarah McBride Democratic | Sarah McBride Democratic | John Whalen Republican | John Whalen Republican | Margin | Margin | Total votes |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes |
| Kent | 44,499 | 51.88 | 41,267 | 48.12 | 3,232 | 3.76 | 85,766 |
| New Castle | 177,730 | 66.45 | 89,728 | 33.55 | 88,002 | 32.90 | 267,458 |
| Sussex | 65,601 | 45.49 | 78,611 | 54.51 | -13,010 | -9.02 | 144,212 |
| Totals | 287,830 | 57.86 | 209,606 | 42.14 | 78,224 | 15.72 | 497,436 |

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Kent (largest city: Dover)