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Ruth Briggs King
Ruth Briggs King (Republican Party) was a member of the Delaware House of Representatives, representing District 37. She assumed office in 2009. She left office on November 15, 2023.
King (Republican Party) ran for election for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
King completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Ruth Briggs King was born in Milford, Delaware. She graduated from Sussex Central High School and earned a B.S. and M.A.S. from Wilmington University. Briggs King’s career experience includes working as a consultant for nonprofit organizations. She has volunteer experience serving on the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition advisory board, which describes itself as, “an organization... raising awareness of breast health issues through outreach, education and support services, in order to facilitate the early detection and treatment of breast cancer.”[1][2]
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
King was assigned to the following committees:
- House Veterans Affairs Committee
- Corrections Committee
- Health & Human Development Committee
- House Judiciary Committee
- Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee
- Transportation Committee
- Joint Finance Committee
- Appropriations Committee
2021-2022
King was assigned to the following committees:
- Transportation Committee
- House Veterans Affairs Committee
- Joint Finance Committee
- Appropriations Committee
- Corrections Committee
- House Education Committee
- Health & Human Development Committee
- Manufactured Housing Committee
- Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee
2019-2020
King was assigned to the following committees:
- Joint Finance Committee
- Appropriations Committee
- House Education Committee
- Manufactured Housing Committee
- Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee
- Transportation Committee
- House Veterans Affairs Committee
- Health & Social Services Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Delaware committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Health & Human Development |
| • Manufactured Housing |
| • Public Safety & Homeland Security |
| • Transportation/Land Use and Infrastructure |
| • Veterans Affairs |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Briggs King served on the following committees:
| Delaware committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Health & Human Development |
| • Manufactured Housing |
| • Public Safety & Homeland Security |
| • Transportation/Land Use and Infrastructure |
| • Veterans Affairs |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Briggs King served on the following committees:
| Delaware committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Health & Human Development |
| • Manufactured Housing |
| • Public Safety & Homeland Security |
| • Transportation/Land Use and Infrastructure |
| • Veterans Affairs |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Briggs King served on these committees:
| Delaware committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
| • Education |
| • Health & Human Development |
| • Joint Finance |
| • Public Safety & Homeland Security |
| • Transportation/Land Use and Infrastructure |
| • Veterans Affairs |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Briggs King served on these committees:
| Delaware committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Transportation/Land Use and Infrastructure |
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.
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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Ruth Briggs King advanced from the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for King in this election.
2022
See also: Delaware House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Delaware House of Representatives District 37
Incumbent Ruth Briggs King won election in the general election for Delaware House of Representatives District 37 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ruth Briggs King (R) | 100.0 | 5,504 |
| Total votes: 5,504 | |||
| = 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 Ruth Briggs King advanced from the Republican primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 37.
2020
See also: Delaware House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Delaware House of Representatives District 37
Incumbent Ruth Briggs King won election in the general election for Delaware House of Representatives District 37 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ruth Briggs King (R) | 100.0 | 9,760 |
| Total votes: 9,760 | |||
| = 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 Ruth Briggs King advanced from the Republican primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 37.
2018
General election
General election for Delaware House of Representatives District 37
Incumbent Ruth Briggs King won election in the general election for Delaware House of Representatives District 37 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ruth Briggs King (R) | 100.0 | 6,853 |
| Total votes: 6,853 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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
Republican primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 37
Incumbent Ruth Briggs King advanced from the Republican primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 37 on September 6, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Ruth Briggs King |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
2016
Elections for the Delaware House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 13, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was July 12, 2016.
Incumbent Ruth Briggs King defeated Paulette Rappa in the Delaware House of Representatives District 37 general election.[3][4]
| Delaware House of Representatives, District 37 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Ruth Briggs King Incumbent |
62.47% | 6,720 | |
| Democratic | Paulette Rappa | 37.53% | 4,038 | |
| Total Votes | 10,758 | |||
| Source: Delaware Department of Elections | ||||
Paulette Rappa ran unopposed in the Delaware House of Representatives District 37 Democratic primary.[5][6][3]
| Delaware House of Representatives, District 37 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Paulette Rappa (unopposed) | |
Incumbent Ruth Briggs King ran unopposed in the Delaware House of Representatives District 37 Republican primary.[5][6][3]
| Delaware House of Representatives, District 37 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Ruth Briggs King Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for the Delaware House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on September 9, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was July 8, 2014. Paulette Ann Rappa was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while incumbent Ruth Briggs King was unopposed in the Republican primary. King defeated Rappa in the general election.[7][8][9]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ruth Briggs King Incumbent |
65.3% | 4,173 | |
| Democratic | Paulette Ann Rappa | 34.7% | 2,214 | |
| Total Votes | 6,387 | |||
2012
King ran in the 2012 election for Delaware House of Representatives District 37. King ran unopposed in the Republican primary on September 11, 2012 and defeated Elizabeth McGinn in the general election on November 6, 2012.[10]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ruth Briggs King Incumbent |
54.8% | 5,026 | |
| Democratic | Elizabeth McGinn | 45.2% | 4,139 | |
| Total Votes | 9,165 | |||
2010
King won re-election to the 37th District seat in 2010. She had no primary opposition. King defeated Frank E. Shade (D) in the November 2, 2010, general election.[11]
| Delaware House of Representatives, District 37 2010 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Ruth Briggs King (R)
|
5,149 | 61.8% | ||
| Frank E. Shade (D) | 3,189 | 38.2% | ||
Special election 2009
On September 12, 2009, King won election to the Delaware House of Representatives from Delaware's 37th District, defeating Robert Robinson (D). King received 2,429 votes in the election while Robinson won 2,105 votes.[12]
| Delaware House of Representatives, District 37 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Ruth Briggs King (R)
|
2,429 | 53.6% | ||
| Robert Robinson (D) | 2,105 | 46.4% | ||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ruth Briggs King completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by King's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
Ruth is a nurse and former educator who also worked banking & finance with an emphasis on leadership, organizational development, & strategic planning. Ruth is known for her honesty, straight forwardness, problem solving abilities and her focus on issues to get results. Ruth has received awards from a diverse range of groups including Elysian Magazine as a distinguished and inspiration woman, an award from the Ability Network of Delaware, and a National legislative award from Mental Health America Assn. She is also recognized as a Distinguished Legislator by the National Foundation of Women Legislators where she serves on the Board. In the Legislature, Ruth served on the most important committees in the Delaware Legislature including the House Judiciary, Health and Human Services, Public Safety & Homeland Security, Transportation, Land Use & Infrastructure, Veteran Affairs Committees as well as the Joint Finance Committee. Ruth also served on taskforces on cancer, behavioral health, long term care/ dementia, & the Delaware Healthy Women and Infants Taskforce.
Learn more at ruthfordelaware.com- 1. Improving Delaware's education system to improve test scores, reduce chronic absenteeism, end school disruptions & violent behavior which harms teaching & learning. She has pledged to reduce absenteeism by 50% statewide over 4 years which will help improve classroom success and student achievement, Ruth also will push for passage of a Teachers' Bill of Rights to protect teachers from increasing violence in our classrooms. Lastly. we need to reform the way we fund public schools in Delaware to better serve our kids & prepare them for success. Ruth has posted her education plan in full on her website at https://www.ruthfordelaware.com/press-release/responses-to-delaware-state-education-association/
- 2. Reducing Crime and its impact on all Delawareans. Violent crime has been affecting all areas of our state and the current leadership has not responded to this in fact. Ruth knows we need to put first things first in public safety. Delaware’s most vulnerable communities have now been subjected to rising gang violence & drug use. As a State Representative, Ruth pushed for funding to expand the Safe Streets Initiative that was implemented in Kent County. Ruth will also fight to address the increased thefts occurring to small businesses to reduce costs to consumers & make our towns safer for business. Reducing recidivism is also key to these goals. Ruth envisions a Delaware with the safest workplaces, schools, communities in America.
- 3. Delaware ranked 34th in the nation for business in a 2024 CNBC report getting failing grades in costs of doing business & innovation. This must change. As a successful businesswoman, Ruth understands the issues impacting Main Street. Small businesses cannot develop because they lack the appropriate infrastructure. She fought to reduce government regulation & ease the burden on entrepreneurs. By removing regulatory roadblocks, Ruth will push legislation that allows businesses - large & small - to flourish. Quick state project approvals are necessary to build a strong economy. Ruth fully supports vocational education, believing that trade work helping local businesses grow & thrive. Learn more at ruthfordelaware.com
One of my Democratic colleagues in the Legislature, as I was leaving the House, said on the floor the following:
“In my 12 years as a legislator, including my time on City Council, you were -by far - the best legislator I’ve ever been in the room with. I marveled at your preparedness, your thoughtfulness, whether you were for it or against it, you not only read the bill; you understood the bill and you sought to make sure that it was in line with what we were here for to ensure we’re doing things for our constituents and on behalf of our state. You are a great legislator. You show the best in ourselves, and you help us to be better legislators.”
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 website
King’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Promoting Delaware Students Our students are our most valuable resource, and our government is failing them. Delaware has the fourth-highest spending per student on education yet ranks 48th in educational outcomes. As a former tech educator, Ruth knows that not all students are the same, which is why she has been a fierce advocate for tailored education so each student gets the education they deserve. Ruth will ensure that students and parents have the ability to choose what kind of education they want and assure quality throughout all of the different educational paths. Ruth had an untraditional path to becoming an educator and wants to make entering the field more accessible, thus making Delaware a more attractive state for teachers. As a former educator, Ruth knows what needs to be done to fix Delaware’s public education system. Building a Robust Economy A successful businesswoman, Ruth Briggs King understands the issues impacting Main Street. Small Businesses cannot develop because they lack the appropriate infrastructure. As a legislator, Ruth fought to reduce government regulation and ease the burden on entrepreneurs. Recognizing the growing popularity of vocational education, she believes that trade work is a key contributor to helping businesses grow on a local level. Delaware ranks last in the nation for GDP growth. By removing regulatory roadblocks, Ruth will push legislation that allows businesses to flourish. Whether it is small businesses or large corporations, quick state approvals are necessary for communities to build a strong economy. Protecting Our Communities Delaware’s most vulnerable groups have now been subjected to rising gang violence and drug use. As a State Representative, Ruth pushed for funding to expand the Safe Streets Initiative that was implemented in Kent County. Ruth will fight to address the increase of theft occurring to small businesses to make Delaware safer for business. Additionally, Ruth is passionate about increasing safety on Delaware’s roads. Delaware has too many fatalities due to vehicle accidents and congestion, impacting our utility workers. Ruth envisions a Delaware with the safest workplaces, schools, communities, and roadways in America. Defending Our Veterans Ruth’s family has a rich history of military service, dating back to the Revolutionary War. Delaware was once a haven for retired veterans. Now, veterans throughout Delaware are facing a crisis when it comes to their healthcare. Many veterans have to drive almost 100 miles to be turned away for care due to a lack of capacity, as some wings of veteran facilities are closed due to a lack of staffing. This treatment is unacceptable for those who have sacrificed so much for our nation. Ruth will fight to ensure that veterans get the fast and quality care that they deserve. As an advocate for women, Ruth understands that female veterans can be underrecognized and less likely to seek and receive care. Ruth will ensure that all veterans—no matter their gender—have access to the best medical care in the country. Cultivating Delaware Agriculture A fifth-generation farming family, Ruth grew up in rural Sussex County. Ruth understands the hard work and value the agricultural community has for Delaware’s economy. As Lieutenant Governor, Ruth will fight to preserve Delaware’s farmland and protect our environment. Expanding Access to Healthcare Migration and retirement from other states have put a tremendous strain on Delaware’s healthcare system. Ruth has observed hospitals struggling to bring in specialties and expand to meet the growing needs of the population. As Lieutenant Governor, Ruth will push legislation that supports the expansion of primary and emergency care for communities throughout Delaware. Ruth also recognizes the need for funding to grow the presence of geriatric and psychiatric care within the state. She looks to fund Delaware residency programs to retain healthcare professionals in the state. Ruth believes the state should pass legislation to help fund and staff state hospitals to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare within Delaware. A leader on this issue, Ruth served on the Council of State Government Taskforce on Emerging Issues in Healthcare and their taskforce on Long-Term Care. Improving Delaware's Infrastructure From internet access to road construction, infrastructure is the foundation of communities across Delaware. Safer roads, better schools, and access to broadband are essential for improving Delaware’s way of life. Delaware was losing business and impacting the qualify of life with the lack of rural broadband services. Her first steps in the legislature were to bring this issue to the forefront for rural areas, increasing the potential for economic growth and personal communication. Because of Ruth’s leadership, Delaware is prepared to install fiber and increase access throughout the state. Ruth understands that internet access in the 21st century is not a luxury-it is essential, and she will treat it as such.[13] |
” |
| —Ruth Briggs King’s campaign website (2024)[14] | ||
2022
Ruth Briggs King did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Ruth Briggs King did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
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.
Scorecards
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.
2023
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]. |
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In 2022, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 11 to June 30.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 12 to June 30.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Delaware State Legislature was in session from January 14 to June 30. |
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2019, the Delaware General Assembly was in session from January 8 through June 30.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2018, the Delaware General Assembly was in session from January 9 through June 30.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Delaware General Assembly was in session from January 10 through June 30. The legislature held a special session on July 2.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2016, the Delaware General Assembly was in session from January 12 through July 1.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Delaware General Assembly was in session from January 13 through June 30.
|
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Delaware General Assembly was in session from January 14 through July 1.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2013, the Delaware General Assembly was in session from January 8 through July 1. Ballotpedia staff did not find any state legislative scorecards published for this state in 2013. If you are aware of one, please contact editor@ballotpedia.org to let us know. |
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Lieutenant Governor of Delaware |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ DBCC, "About DBCC," accessed November 30, 2019
- ↑ Delaware General Assembly, "Representative Ruth Briggs King," accessed November 30, 2019
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Delaware.gov, "General election candidates," accessed September 27, 2016 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "glist16" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "glist16" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Delaware Department of Elections, "General Election (Official Results)," accessed November 23, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Delaware.gov, "Primary election candidates," accessed July 13, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Delaware Department of Elections, Primary Election (Official Returns)," accessed September 22, 2016
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Official primary election candidate list," accessed July 10, 2014
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Official general election candidate list," accessed July 10, 2014
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Official general election results," accessed November 13, 2014
- ↑ Delaware State Board of Elections, "Candidate List," accessed July 13, 2012
- ↑ Delaware Elections Division, "Official 2010 Election results," accessed March 20, 2014
- ↑ Delaware Elections Division, "Official 2009 Special election results," accessed March 20, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Ruth for Delaware, “Home,” accessed August 10, 2024
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Delaware House of Representatives District 37 2009-2023 |
Succeeded by Valerie Jones Giltner (R) |
 |
State of Delaware Dover (capital) |
|---|---|
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