Delaware
Blunt Rochester makes it official: She’s running for Senate
Delaware lawmaker ‘the kind of leader that we’ll need in the days ahead’
Walking slowly through the dramatically lit aisles of Philadelphia’s Bright Hope Baptist Church her family is well acquainted with, soft, jazzy piano music playing in the background, Delaware’s lone U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester announced that she is running for Senate, hoping to take over the seat her mentor Tom Carper is leaving.
Her guiding principle? Bright hope. Just like the church’s. Just like the country’s.
“Bright hope,” Blunt Rochester said, “keeps America forward and it kept me going through my own darkness.”
That darkness included her husband’s death because of a blood clot, which she said inspired her to run for Congress.
“You gotta get your mind right,” he told her.
“So I did,” Blunt Rochester said in the video. “I decided to run for Congress.”
Carper announced his retirement at a press conference on May 22 and all but endorsed Blunt Rochester for Senate.
“I spoke with her this morning, I said, ‘You’ve been patient, waiting for me to get out of the way, and I’m going to get out of the way, and I hope you run, and I hope you’ll let me support you in that mission,’” Carper said with a laugh. “And she said, ‘Yes I will let you support me.’ And so I’m going to.’”
Now that she officially announced her run, two days after Juneteenth, her former mentor endorsed her in a statement.
“She is just the kind of leader that we’ll need in the U.S. Senate in the days ahead, and she will make us proud,” Carper wrote, recalling the first time he met her. “Indeed, she already has!”
Rochester holds up a scarf with a copy of her great-great-great grandfather’s Georgia voter registration oath from 1867 in the video. On it is his signature, which allowed him, a freed slave, to vote in Georgia’s elections.
She holds it up to a diverse crowd of people, telling them that she not only carried it during her inauguration, but during the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.
“With the house under siege, I prayed for love over hate, and hope over fear,” she says over a video of her praying on the House floor as rioters swarmed the Capitol.
Accolades and support are pouring in not only from her mentor, but from progressive groups, including Planned Parenthood, which emphasized that it does not officially have a stance, but said the organization is lucky to have her in the congressional delegation. The Human Rights campaign gives her perfect marks on support for LGBTQ issues.
The person that answered Bright Hope Baptist Church’s phone seemed unaware that Blunt Rochester had announced her run and said the people who could comment were out of the office.
Blunt Rochester ends the video ticking off her priorities and her accomplishments –protecting reproductive rights, helping small businesses, and protecting the environment – but cautioned, “We’ve got so much more to do.”
“A more perfect union is not a destination, it is a journey,” she continued. Looking straight into the camera, she said, “Let us go on it together.”
Delaware
Wilmington, Del. leaders paint city’s first rainbow crosswalk
Mayor John Carney signs Pride proclamation
Wilmington, Del. city leaders and community members gathered to paint the first rainbow crosswalk in the city on June 24, after Mayor John Carney signed a proclamation to declare June as Pride month.
The crosswalk was painted at the intersection of 6th and Union Streets near Crimson Moon, the only LGBTQ bar in New Castle County.
“This is not just paint on pavement — it’s a statement,” said Mayor Carney. “This crosswalk is a symbol of visibility and belonging. It reflects our promise that Wilmington is a place where everyone, regardless of who they are or who they love, should feel safe, seen, and supported.”
After the signing, the mayor joined At-Large City Council members Latisha Bracy and James Spadola, the Public Works Department, LGBTQ leaders, and community advocates in painting the crosswalk vibrant rainbow colors.
Mayor Carney said Council member Bracy helped “lead the charge” of this initiative in an Instagram post. At the event, Brady said the crosswalk was “a long time coming” and that it had been requested several years ago but did not get done until now.
“There’s nothing more American than letting people be who they are,” Council member Spadola said during the proclamation ceremony.
The Delaware Pride Festival in Dover lost 57% of its corporate funding this year, according to The News Journal, due to backlash over diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Delaware is currently pushing legislation to codify same-sex marriage into the state Constitution. The amendment passed through the Senate on June 10 and is awaiting consideration from the House.
Delaware
Del. governor signs order to protect gender-affirming care
Directive to safeguard personal data of patients, providers
Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed an executive order to protect gender-affirming care on June 20 at the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center, followed by the first meeting of the newly formed LGBTQ commission, which will work to protect the rights of LGBTQ Delawareans.
Executive Order 11 makes Delaware a shield state for providers of gender-affirming care. It prohibits state agencies from cooperating with investigations, subpoenas, or legal actions by other states against individuals or providers involved in care that is legal in Delaware.
Gender-affirming care refers to a range of medical, psychological, and social services that are designed to support transgender and nonbinary individuals towards aligning their outward characteristics with their gender identity.
“Across the country, people are being punished for seeking or providing gender-affirming care,” said Meyer in a press release. “In Delaware, we cherish privacy, dignity, and the right to make personal medical decisions. Everyone deserves the freedom to access healthcare rooted in science and compassion.”
CAMP Rehoboth Communications Director Matty Brown said the center was “honored” to be the location for the signing. He said the atmosphere was “emotionally charged” and “joyous” with many “tears of joy.”
“CAMP Rehoboth applauds this executive order,” Brown told the Washington Blade. “This is a clear signal to all Delawareans that all are welcome to thrive here … We know that medical care should be between the provider and the patient, so we are so excited to see Gov. Meyer uphold that.”
State Rep. DeShanna Neal spoke at the event and told a story of her fight with the state to get gender-affirming care for her trans daughter.
“I want to thank Gov. Meyer for his actions today and helping me keep a 20-year promise to my daughter and all the families that this fight has helped,” said Neal.
At least 14 other states and D.C. have passed similar protective laws designed to shield providers and patients from laws in states where gender-affirming care is restricted or criminalized.
“Transgender Delawareans and those traveling here for care can now breathe a little easier,” said Cora Castle, chair of the LGBTQ Commission. “This executive order reflects what science and medical experts have made clear for years: gender-affirming care is lifesaving. It also shows what happens when people with lived experience are trusted to help shape policy — we lead with both empathy and evidence. Delaware is proving what it means to protect all its people.”
Milton, Del., will host its Pride Fest this Saturday with the theme “Small Town, Big Heart.” The town’s population of just over 3,000 is in its sixth year hosting Pride.
The event is hosted by Sussex Pride and Milton Theatre and will take place from 4-8 p.m. in the area surrounding the theater. Admission is pay-what-you-can and proceeds will support the Milton Theatre’s education wing campaign, an initiative dedicated to expanding arts education and creating spaces for the next generation of performers and artists.
The musical act schedule includes Goldstar at 4 p.m., Magnolia Applebottom and Friends at 5:30 p.m., and Mama’s Blacksheep at 6:45 p.m. There will be vendors, food trucks, and a Kids Fest with an inflatable obstacle course.
“In our little corner of the world, LOVE leads the way! Milton Pride 2025 is a celebration for EVERYONE — neighbors, families, allies, and friends — because acceptance, kindness, and community belong to us all,” Milton Theatre’s website reads. “Whether you’re here to cheer, learn, or simply feel the joy … you’re welcome exactly as you are. Let’s come together and celebrate Milton, a SMALL TOWN … with a BIG HEART!”
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