From: Delaware Online Republican lawmakers in Delaware have a clear agenda, but little leeway toward accomplishing it.
Besides a few formalities such as declaring May as Lyme Disease Awareness Month and a handful of changes to town charters and school district laws in red districts, Republicans have accomplished little in the past six months thanks to Democrats controlling three-fifths of both the House and Senate.
It’s not like they haven’t tried.
Like Republicans in other states, they pushed bills to lessen Gov. John Carney’s state of emergency powers in the response to pandemic-era closures. They tried adding voter restrictions, cutting taxes and stifling Democratic bills to raise the minimum wage and change policing laws.
In a state where bipartisanship and compromise are so cherished that politicians have dubbed them a tradition known as the “Delaware Way,” the GOP’s efforts so far have been futile.
“I see very little compromise,” said Senate Minority Leader Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View. “There’s no negotiation going on now. It’s ‘take it or leave it.'”
Lawmakers are in session until June 30 before going on a six-month break. And with less than two weeks before that deadline, there’s little hope for those contentious Republican bills.
When asked about the party imbalance, House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear, said Democrats and Republicans do still work together on bills. She insisted that compromise exists and that the GOP’s claims are just political rhetoric.
“I have bigger issues than playing tit for tat,” Longhurst said. “I’m not sure the divide they’re talking about. … I’m not seeing it, and my caucus doesn’t see it.” Read more: Delaware Republicans haven’t gotten what they wanted this year — yet (delawareonline.com)