Delaware Republican running for governor aims to flip one-party rule in Biden's home state after three decades

A Republican primary candidate for governor of Delaware, Mike Ramone, said in a conversation with Fox News Digital that he intends to beat what he called one-party rule in President Biden's home state. 

Currently serving as the minority leader of the state House, Ramone said he intends to flip the governor's office red for the first time in more than three decades come November. 

"Delaware has been controlled by one party for 32 years. And I am here to give Delaware a choice," Ramone said. "Balance brings discussion and discussion brings vetting, and vetting avoids unintended consequences…. There is the far red and the far blue that both will be out to vote. But I believe that many far-blue might even consider that they can do better also in the state of Delaware." 

Under Democratic leadership, Ramone argued that Delaware has morphed into one of the worst states when it comes to education, health care, safety, traffic, and business friendliness. 

He said it's the only state in the nation that had negative GDP. 

"We need to go back to line item reviews of every single expense we make because we're spending people's taxes. It's not our money. It's their money. And I do think Ronald Reagan had it best, you know, ‘Are you better off today than you were then?’ And if people feel they're better off, we won't have a Republican," Ramone said. "But if they feel that they're tired of the drama in politics, if they feel they want to have a leader who leads from the front but supports from the back, if they feel that it's time to move into the technology and the job development in fintech, in pharma, in other aspects like Pete DuPont did for our state when he moved us into being the corporate capital of the world, then they're going to vote for Mike Ramone. They're going to vote for a business person."

Ramone, who has more than 40 years of experience in the business sector, said Delaware voters need to consider "management style" when electing their leaders.

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"The way we manage our state currently is dysfunctional. Our education system is one of the highest funded and one of the lowest in results. Our health care system is absolutely havoc-ridden," he said. "I do not believe digesting hatred or negativeness or tainting facts is something I will ever be part of … I just think there are so many things we can do better. We need to stay focused. We need to create a vision." 

According to latest voter registration data available this month, Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly two to one in the state. Delaware also has about 16,600 more independent voters than registered Republicans, and Democrats currently control nine statewide offices. Additionally, Ramone's campaign comes at a pivotal point nationally after Biden exited the presidential race. 

"Joe Biden. We are all proud of Joe. I'm a Republican, and I can say that because he's the first Delawarean to ever become a president of the country," Ramone said. "And I think that's just wonderful. However, I don't think the style of leadership we watched in the last years of presidential campaigns and so forth are what's indicative of Delaware." 

Ramone, who first went into business at age 20, taking out an $8,000 loan to open his first flower shop, said he’s willing to put his reputation on the line to run the state in a way that’s "fiscally responsible" again. 

Delaware lost the three c’s – credit cards, chemicals and cars – when two major car manufacturers, the juggernaut DuPont, and MBNA closed their doors, Ramone said. 

He argued the state has the ideal location to become a fintech hub with Silicon Valley-esque initiatives to bring higher-paying jobs in different sectors to the state, not what he called the "$15 Amazon jobs." 

Ramone described education as a "catastrophe" in the state, arguing that most funding gets tied up in administration in the state’s 19 school districts and department of education, rather than being used in classrooms.

First elected to the state House 16 years ago, Ramone has survived eight separate elections to hold onto his district, which has more registered Democratic voters per capita than the state has as a whole. 

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"My belief is simple. My district is 8,000-something Democrats," Ramone said. "It's somewhere around 5,000 Republicans and around 5,200 independents. I'm the only elected official lucky enough to be reelected eight times in the state of Delaware, representing the third party, not the second party. I was in the minority minority. There's more independents than Republicans, so I think I have a pretty good feel of building relationships. I think I have a pretty big feel of listening, and I think I have my fingers on the pulse of what Delaware is about. Delaware is a state that has an enormous amount of people who are fiscally reasonable, financially conservative, and socially moderate to liberal. In other words, leave people alone. Let them live their lives. But don't clobber me for taxes and have overzealous government." 

A father and grandfather, Ramone said he intends to make Delaware a state where younger generations can afford to live and prosper, instead of having to move elsewhere. 

Delaware's last Republican governor was Mike Castle, who served in the position from 1985 to 1993.

Despite running during a presidential election year, Ramone said he believes his resume and business acumen will win him the governor's office. 

"When I ran in my district, Mike Ramone signs were right next to a lot of Joe Biden signs, Mike Ramone signs right next to a lot of Donald Trump signs and Mike Ramone signs were in a lot of yards with no signs. So Delaware is small enough that I believe the national rhetoric may involve a higher level of turnout. But I don't believe that turnout will help nor hurt me," Ramone said. 

Any traction for former President Trump in Kent and Sussex counties, Ramone argued, would be offset in New Castle County, where more Democrats would be motivated to bring out the vote against Trump. 

"I think it's almost what you call revenue neutral. I think it's going to offset itself. I'm not worried about what goes on nationally. I'm worried about what goes on in my community, in my state, and in each one of our three wonderful counties," Ramone said. "You get into these campaigns, and they get so busy throwing bombs at each other, they forget to say why they should even be there. I'll be focused on why I should be there. I'll be focused on what I can do to help people. I will be focused on making Delaware a better place to live." 

In Delaware, the governor's office is term limited, so current Democratic Gov. John Carney cannot run for re-election this year. 

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Ramone will still need to advance through the Sept. 10 Republican primary. 

Jerry Price, a former New York Police Department officer, first announced his GOP bid for governor of Delaware in December. Ramone entered the primary race in May, and a third Republican, Bobby Williamson, launched his bid just earlier this month. For Democrats, current Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long and New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer are competing in the gubernatorial primary.

The winner from each party will face off in the Nov. 5 general election.