Kyle Evans Gay

Kyle Evans Gay

Democratic Party

Lieutenant Governor of Delaware

Tenure

2025 - Present

Term ends

2029

Years in position

0

Predecessor

Bethany Hall-Long

Prior offices

Delaware State Senate District 5

Successor: Raymond Seigfried

Predecessor: Catherine Cloutier

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Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Brown University, 2008

Law

Boston University School of Law, 2012

Personal

Birthplace

Wilmington, Del.

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal Twitter

Personal Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Kyle Evans Gay (Democratic Party) is the Lieutenant Governor of Delaware. She assumed office on January 21, 2025. Her current term ends on January 16, 2029.

Gay (Democratic Party) ran for election for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Gay completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Kyle Evans Gay was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and, as of 2025, lived in Heatherbrooke, Delaware. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University in 2008 and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 2012. Gay’s career experience includes working as a lawyer with the Office of the Child Advocate and as a clerk with the Delaware Superior Court, a Deputy Attorney General in the Delaware Department of Justice, in private practice, and practicing pro bono on behalf of children in foster care. Gay has been affiliated with Delaware’s Public Integrity Commission, the Junior League of Wilmington, the Spur Impact Association, and the Delaware Bar Foundation.

Political career

Below is a list of offices within Ballotpedia’s scope. Offices outside of that scope will not be listed. If an update is needed and the office is within our scope, please contact us.

Gay's political career includes the following offices:

• 2025-present: Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
• 2020-2025: Delaware State Senate District 5

Elections

2024

See also: Delaware lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2024

General election

General election for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware

Kyle Evans Gay defeated Ruth Briggs King in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kyle Evans Gay (D)	55.2	272,828
		Ruth Briggs King (R)	44.8	221,256

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 494,084
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware

Kyle Evans Gay defeated Sherry Dorsey Walker and Debbie Harrington in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware on September 10, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kyle Evans Gay	48.2	40,638
		Sherry Dorsey Walker	36.8	31,035
		Debbie Harrington	15.0	12,640

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 84,313
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• David Lamar Williams Jr. (D)

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Ruth Briggs King advanced from the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.

Endorsements

To view Gay's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Gay in this election.

2022

See also: Delaware State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Delaware State Senate District 5

Incumbent Kyle Evans Gay defeated Daniel Schmick in the general election for Delaware State Senate District 5 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kyle Evans Gay (D)	66.3	10,471
		Daniel Schmick (R)	33.7	5,328

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 15,799
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Kyle Evans Gay advanced from the Democratic primary for Delaware State Senate District 5.

2020

See also: Delaware State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for Delaware State Senate District 5

Kyle Evans Gay defeated incumbent Catherine Cloutier in the general election for Delaware State Senate District 5 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kyle Evans Gay (D)	52.3	13,475
		Catherine Cloutier (R)	47.7	12,283

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 25,758
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Delaware State Senate District 5

Kyle Evans Gay defeated Denise Bowers and Eric Levin in the Democratic primary for Delaware State Senate District 5 on September 15, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kyle Evans Gay	56.6	3,852
		Denise Bowers	27.1	1,842
		Eric Levin	16.3	1,112

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,806
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Catherine Cloutier advanced from the Republican primary for Delaware State Senate District 5.

Endorsements

To view Gay's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2024

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released August 31, 2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Kyle Evans Gay completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gay's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Hi, I’m Kyle, and I’m running to be Delaware’s 27th Lieutenant Governor.

I’m a mom, an advocate, an attorney, and a State Senator.

I was elected to represent Delaware’s 5th Senate District in 2020, flipping a 40-year Republican-held seat from red to blue. Since then, I’ve worked hard to advocate and pass legislation to promote the ideals I campaigned on, including abortion access, voting rights, gun safety, and investment in childcare and education.

I’m proud of my record as a State Senator, and I’m now running for Lieutenant Governor to advance my work. If elected, I will continue to lead on legislation that will help expand abortion access, create an economy that works for everyone, invest in our schools and childcare, protect our state from the threats of climate change, and foster safer communities in Delaware.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Delaware’s next Lieutenant Governor needs to lead the fight on making reproductive freedom a reality for all Delawareans. We must be willing to do whatever it takes to protect and expand reproductive rights in our state, and I’m proud of my record on this foundational issue.
• Delaware has what it takes to be a national leader on gun violence prevention. If elected, I will strengthen the historic progress we’ve made on preventing senseless gun violence in our communities
• We need to create an economy that works for Delawareans. If elected, I will continue to help lead legislation that promotes economic mobility for working parents, creates jobs equipped for our future, and supports our small and local businesses.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a working parent with two young children, I know the value of early education. And we know from the research that children who attend high-quality child care attain higher academic achievement and economic advancement. Yet care is underfunded, and we have failed to invest in strategies to expand accessibility. Investments in early childhood education set kids up for success, keeps parents in the workforce, and ensure childcare workers receive livable wages.

No one should face barriers to voting and participating in our democracy. That’s why I led on legislation for automatic voter registration and voting by mail.

I’ve been a leading advocate for access to reproductive healthcare and access to medical services in the state for all.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The elected officials that I’ve been most inspired by, and in whose footsteps I’ve tried to follow, remember that they are elected to office with a duty to serve the people of Delaware –- not their own personal interests. They’re willing to work hard wherever needed, and will pick up any piece of the work that needs done. I support elected leaders who advocate for what’s right regardless of the political challenges, and who encourage frank and open conversations as a way to find common ground and achieve consensus. And lastly, the best elected officials never stop listening - to their constituents, to subject-matter experts, and to those with whom they may disagree. Commitment to openness and life-long learning are especially important for effective elected officials.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was in the parking office of a local university. I supported the staff by doing simple office tasks. And although I was old enough to work in Delaware, I was not yet old enough to drive. Luckily my father worked in the same building and made sure I was able to get to work. I still value the early exposure I had to a professional environment, and the work ethic my parents encouraged in me.

What is your favorite book? Why?

As a child I was always drawn to stories of empowerment for girls and young women, and as I mom of two young daughters, many of these books continue to be staples in our household. A classic and favorite of mine is Jane and the Dragon, about a young girl who dreams of being a knight. Not only does she achieve her dream, but she redefines what it means - befriending rather than slaying the dragon. Reading stories like Jane's to my young girls reminds me of how far we have come since my childhood. It also reminds me - as a woman in this field - that I belong and that it's my responsibility to continue to challenge our preconceived notions of politics.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

One little known responsibility of the Lieutenant Governor is the Constitutional requirement for them to serve as a member of the Board of Pardons. This Board oversees all of Delaware’s pardons, reprieves, commutations of sentences, and executive clemency. As an attorney and a criminal justice reform advocate, I know how important it is to provide second chances for people who have turned their lives around. Too much of our country’s history has focused on penalizing offenders over rehabilitating them, with devastating societal consequences. For those who are rehabilitated, a second chance it can provide life-changing opportunities for educational, professional, or personal advancement and open doors to new beginnings. The Board of Pardons is also critically important for victims and victims' families whose voices should not be lost in the process. In managing the Board of Pardons the Lt. Governor must balance these important considerations and have the courage to lead the Board to be compassionate, effective, and equitable in its work. It would be an honor and privilege to serve on the Board of Pardons as Lt. Governor.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

I do believe it’s beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics. One of the primary functions of this office is to preside over the State Senate, and an understanding of Senate Rules and dynamics is crucial for keeping proceedings running smoothly. Additionally, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor has a unique platform to amplify voices and issues of great importance in the state. Someone with governmental and political experience will have the knowledge and connections already in place to be an effective leader within state government and as an effective partner to the Governor.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I have been endorsed by the Delaware Democratic Party, the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), Delaware AFL-CIO, the Delaware Building and Construction Trade Council, and Brady PAC. I have also been endorsed by Attorney General Kathleen Jennings and State Treasurer Colleen David. Multiple legislative colleagues have endorsed my candidacy, including Senate President Pro Tempore David Sokola, Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, and Senate Majority Whip Tizzy Lockman.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2022

Kyle Evans Gay did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Kyle Evans Gay completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gay's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a mom, attorney, and community advocate who believes that we have opportunities in Delaware to make lasting change. That's why I'm running for state Senate - to support our kids and families, ensure our seniors are lifted up, and fight for equality and prosperity for all Delawareans.

When I returned to the Brandywine Valley following law school, I worked at the Department of Justice. I later clerked for the Superior Court before entering private practice, representing clients in Delaware's business courts. I have dedicated my time to helping several Delaware nonprofits, and I have served on Delaware's Public Integrity Commission. I have led multiple professional and civic organizations and am a past President of the Junior League of Wilmington. I am proud to have worked alongside Delaware ERANow and members of the Delaware legislature to usher in Delaware's landmark Equal Rights Amendment, which was finally adopted in January 2019.

I graduated with honors from Brown University and earned my law degree at Boston University School of Law. I live in Brandywine Hundred with my husband Olin, our two daughters, and our dog Brady.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• As an attorney I have spent my career advocating for people who have trusted me to help them in their time of need. I have been their advocate and their voice, and now I am running to be a voice of change in Dover. I plan to work for and on behalf of my neighbors in Brandywine Hundred.
• As a mother who has gone to Dover to advocate on behalf of my community, I have seen what is possible when people come together around shared ideals and fight for change. I am running to be an active legislator who engages with constituents and community groups, and will always work on my neighbors' behalf..
• I will work tirelessly to address the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our district and state. We must work together across our state to ensure that small businesses and workers receive the support they need to make it through this challenge and to come back even stronger than they were before.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I believe that we should work to ensure that our state is a place where anyone can receive an excellent public education, where young workers can start their careers, and where seniors can retire with security and dignity. I will work to bring universal pre-K, affordable and accessible healthcare, and paid family leave to our state. I also believe that the legislature also cannot ignore the inequities in our state. In particular, we need to continue the good work we have done to reform our criminal justice system to ensure that every Delawarean is treated equally under the law.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I have always admired the leadership of former Senator Margaret Rose Henry who fought tirelessly in Dover for landmark legislation.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I favor an independent redistricting commission so that the voters choose their representatives, and not the other way around.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Kyle Evans Gay campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Lieutenant Governor of Delaware	Won general	$905,597	$833,125
2022	Delaware State Senate District 5	Won general	$126,672	$129,991
2020	Delaware State Senate District 5	Won general	$184,716	N/A**
Grand total			$1,216,984	$963,116
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

State legislative tenure

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Delaware

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Delaware scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

2024

In 2024, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 9 to June 30.

• National Federation of Independent Business

Legislators are scored based on their votes on bills related to business issues.

2023

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show].
In 2023, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 10 to June 30.

2022

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show].
In 2022, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 11 to June 30. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored based on their votes on bills related to business issues.

2021

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show].
In 2021, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 12 to June 30. Delaware United Legislators are scored on their votes on a variety of issues of interest to the organization. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2020

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show].
In 2020, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 14 to June 30.

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2023-2024

Gay was assigned to the following committees:

• Senate Education Committee
• Elections & Government Affairs Committee
• Senate Judiciary Committee, Chair
• Legislative Oversight & Sunset Committee, Vice Chair
• Rules and Ethics Committee
• Senate Veterans Affairs Committee
• Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee

2021-2022

Gay was assigned to the following committees:

• Senate Judiciary Committee, Chair
• Elections & Government Affairs Committee, Chair
• Legislative Oversight & Sunset Committee, Chair
• Transportation Committee (Decommissioned)
• Senate Veterans Affairs Committee
• Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee, Chair

External links

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Candidate

Lieutenant Governor of Delaware

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Bethany Hall-Long (D)	Lieutenant Governor of Delaware 2025-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by Catherine Cloutier (R)	Delaware State Senate District 5 2020-2025	Succeeded by Raymond Seigfried (D)

[show]

Current members of the Delaware State Senate

Leadership

Majority Leader:Bryan Townsend

Minority Leader:Gerald Hocker

Senators

District 1

Dan Cruce (D)

District 2

Darius Brown (D)

District 3

S. Elizabeth Lockman (D)

District 4

Laura Sturgeon (D)

District 5

Raymond Seigfried (D)

District 6

Russ Huxtable (D)

District 7

Spiros Mantzavinos (D)

District 8

David Sokola (D)

District 9

Jack Walsh (D)

District 10

Stephanie Hansen (D)

District 11

Bryan Townsend (D)

District 12

Nicole Poore (D)

District 13

Marie Pinkney (D)

District 14

Kyra Hoffner (D)

District 15

David Lawson (R)

District 16

Eric Buckson (R)

District 17

Trey Paradee (D)

District 18

David Wilson (R)

District 19

Brian Pettyjohn (R)

District 20

Gerald Hocker (R)

District 21

Bryant Richardson (R)

Democratic Party (15)

Republican Party (6)