2020 Delaware gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2020 United States gubernatorial elections.

2020 Delaware gubernatorial election

November 3, 2020

Nominee John Carney Julianne Murray Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 292,903 190,312 Percentage 59.46% 38.63%

County results Precinct results Carney:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Murray:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      No data

Governor before election John Carney Democratic Elected Governor John Carney Democratic

The 2020 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the governor of Delaware, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic governor John Carney was re-elected to a second term, defeating Republican Julianne Murray in a landslide.^[1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• John Carney, incumbent governor of Delaware^[2][1]

Eliminated in the primary

• David Lamar Williams Jr., accountant and community activist^[2][3]

Results

Results by county:

  Carney—80–90%

Democratic primary results^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John Carney (incumbent)	101,142	84.77%
	Democratic	David Lamar Williams, Jr.	18,169	15.23%
Total votes			119,311	100.00%

Results by county

County[5]	John Carney	%	David Lamar Williams Jr.	%	Total
Kent	13,396	81.95%	2,950	18.05%	16,346
New Castle	67,063	84.17%	12,615	15.83%	79,678
Sussex	20,683	88.82%	2,604	11.18%	23,287
Total	101,142	84.77%	18,169	15.23%	119,311

Republican primary

The Republican primary was hotly contested between Julianne Murray, an attorney from Georgetown, and Colin Bonini, a Delaware state senator from the 16th district and the Republican nominee for the governor of Delaware in 2016. Murray ended up winning the nomination. Although Bonini won Kent and New Castle counties, the latter of which is home to Wilmington and is the most populous county in the state, Murray won Sussex County, which is the most Republican county in the state and overall had the most votes, allowing her to carry the nomination.

Candidates

Nominee

• Julianne Murray, attorney^[2]

Eliminated in the primary

• Colin Bonini, state senator, nominee for Delaware State Treasurer in 2010, and nominee for Governor of Delaware in 2016^[6]
• David Bosco, small business owner^[2]
• David Graham^[2]
• Bryant Richardson, state senator^[7]
• Scott Walker, 2018 Republican nominee for the United States House of Representatives in Delaware

Withdrawn

• Kevin Baron, veteran^[8][9]
• Neil Shea, brewer, U.S. Marine Corps veteran^[2]

Results

Results by county:

  Bonini—40–50%

  Murray—40–50%

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Julianne Murray	22,819	41.15%
	Republican	Colin Bonini	19,161	34.56%
	Republican	Bryant Richardson	4,262	7.69%
	Republican	Scott Walker	3,998	7.21%
	Republican	David Bosco	3,660	6.60%
	Republican	David Graham	1,547	2.79%
Total votes			55,447	100.00%

Results by county

County[5]	Julianne Murray	%	Colin Bonini	%	Bryant L. Richardson	%	R.E. Scott Walker	%	David Bosco	%	Dave Graham	%	Total
Kent	3,876	35.75%	4,910	45.29%	556	5.13%	506	4.67%	690	6.36%	304	2.80%	10,842
New Castle	7,204	34.55%	8,529	40.90%	1,006	4.82%	1,959	9.39%	1,398	6.70%	756	3.63%	20,852
Sussex	11,739	49.42%	5,722	24.09%	2,700	11.37%	1,533	6.45%	1,572	6.62%	487	2.05%	23,753
Total	22,819	41.15%	19,161	34.56%	4,262	7.69%	3,998	7.21%	3,660	6.60%	1,547	2.79%	55,447

Other candidates

Libertarian Party

Nominee

• John Machurek^[2]

Independent Party of Delaware

Nominee

• Kathy DeMatteis^[2]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[10]	Safe D	October 23, 2020
Inside Elections[11]	Safe D	October 28, 2020
Sabato's Crystal Ball[12]	Safe D	November 2, 2020
Politico[13]	Safe D	November 2, 2020
Daily Kos[14]	Safe D	October 28, 2020
RCP[15]	Safe D	November 2, 2020
270towin[16]	Safe D	November 2, 2020

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	John Carney (D)	Julianne Murray (R)	Other/ Undecided
University of Delaware[17]	September 21–27, 2020	847 (LV)	–	55%	26%	19%[b]

Results

Delaware gubernatorial election, 2020^[18]^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John Carney (incumbent)	292,903	59.46%	+1.12%
	Republican	Julianne Murray	190,312	38.63%	−0.55%
	Independent Party	Kathy DeMatteis	6,150	1.25%	N/A
	Libertarian	John Machurek	3,270	0.66%	−0.43%
Total votes			492,635	100.00%	N/A
Turnout			507,805	68.66%
Registered electors			739,570
	Democratic hold

By county

By county

County John Carney Democratic Julianne Murray Republican Kathy DeMatteis IPoD John Machurek Libertarian Margin Total votes # % # % # % # % # % Kent 44,352 51.93 39,332 46.05 1,115 1.30 616 0.72 5,020 5.88 85,415 New Castle 191,678 68.45 82,545 29.48 3,785 1.35 2,031 0.72 109,133 38.97 280,039 Sussex 56,873 44.72 68,435 53.81 1,250 0.98 623 0.49 -11,562 -9.09 127,181 Totals 292,903 59.46 190,312 38.63 6,150 1.25 3,270 0.66 102,591 20.83 492,635

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. "None/other/undecided" with 13%; DeMatteis (DI) with 4%; Machurek (L) with 2%

References

1. "Del. Governor John Carney announces re-election campaign". 47abc. July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
2. "State of Delaware - Department of Elections · Office of the State Election Commissioner - Election Information". elections.delaware.gov. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
3. "David Lamar Williams Jr. for Governor of Delaware on Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
4. "2020 State Primary Election Report". Delaware.gov. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
5. Elections. "2020 State Primary Election Report". Delaware Department of Elections. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
6. "State Sen. Bonini running for governor again". June 26, 2020.
7. "Senator Richardson to run for governor". Delaware State News. May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
8. "Kevin Baron". Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
9. Ciolino, Nick. "State GOP contesting all Democratic-held statewide offices this year". Delaware Public Media. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
10. "2020 Governor Race Ratings for October 23, 2020". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
11. "2020 Gubernatorial Ratings". insideelections.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
12. "2020 Gubernatorial race ratings". Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball. November 2, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
13. "We rated every gubernatorial race in 2020. Here's who we think will win". Politico. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
14. "2020 Governor Race Ratings". Daily Kos. June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
15. "2020 Governor Races". RealClearPolitics. June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
16. "2020 Gubernatorial Elections Map". 270towin.
17. University of Delaware
18. "2020 General Election Report". Delaware Department of Elections. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
19. The State of Delaware - Department of Elections. "Delaware Election Results". Department of Elections. Retrieved November 15, 2020..

External links

Official campaign websites

• John Carney (D) for Governor
• Kathy DeMatteis (IPoD) for Governor
• Julianne Murray (R) for Governor