Jennings secures third term as Delaware AG

Kathy Jennings retained her position as Delaware attorney general on Tuesday, securing a third consecutive four-year term. The Associated Press declared her the winner at 10:01 p.m. Eastern Time. At that moment, Jennings held approximately 64.5% of the reported vote with about 82% of ballots tallied. Her opponent, David Graham, ran for the office despite not being a licensed lawyer.

The Delaware attorney general serves as the state’s chief law enforcement official. The office prosecutes all felonies and nearly all misdemeanors in the state. It also provides legal advice to every state agency and enforces consumer protection and public trust laws. Jennings, 73, is a veteran of the office who previously defeated two Democratic challengers in the September 15 primary. She won that earlier contest with 71% of the vote.

Graham, a 72-year-old certified public accountant, entered the race late in August. He previously worked in tax enforcement for the state Department of Finance. During the campaign, Graham argued that Jennings was too focused on national politics. He accused her of having "Trump derangement syndrome" instead of concentrating on local crime and corruption.

"Everything she does is focused on anti-Trump," Graham told WHYY News. "If you’re elected attorney general of Delaware, you’re supposed to be taking care of all the citizens of Delaware, not just according to your political agenda at the national level of the Democrat Party."

Jennings did not grant interviews during the campaign. Her campaign manager, Carter Gramiak, explained in a written statement that Jennings had "a crowded schedule." The statement criticized the Republican nomination, calling it "disappointing and unserious" that the party chose a candidate who was not an attorney. Gramiak also noted that violent crime and recidivism rates had dropped in Delaware under Jennings’ leadership.

Graham sought to become the first non-lawyer to hold the post. The Department of Justice employs about 250 attorneys and more than 500 staff members across five divisions, including Criminal, Civil, Family, Fraud & Consumer Protection, and Civil Rights & Public Trust. Graham claimed that lawyers often lack necessary leadership and management skills. He described the current attorney general as a prime example of this shortcoming.

Voters sided with the incumbent, maintaining a legal professional at the head of the state’s law enforcement agency.