Meyer leads among Democratic gubernatorial candidates, raising over $675K in donations

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comment from gubernatorial candidate Collin O'Mara regarding the money he has loaned his campaign.

Recent campaign finance reports show that New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer has raised at least three times more than his Democratic opponents in the race for Delaware’s governor.

Meyer raised $675,357 last year compared to the $171,207 contributed to Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long’s gubernatorial campaign, according to year-end campaign finance reports filed with the state Department of Elections.

Former Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara, who is considering a Democratic run for governor but has yet to officially announce, raised $123,381 last year, campaign finance reports show.

None of the Democratic candidates are listed with the Department of Elections as having filed to run for governor, according to the primary candidates list last updated Jan. 25. Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerrold Price, of Lewes, filed to run Dec. 1, according to the state elections department, but has yet to file a 2023 year-end campaign finance report.

Meyer’s campaign spokesperson Michael Atkins emphasized that “with $1.7 million cash on hand” the campaign clearly has the “resources, widespread support and enthusiasm to win” the election.

O'Mara ended 2023 with $870,212 cash on hand, while Hall-Long ended the year with $688,249, according to finance reports.

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“This significant financial advantage ⎯ driven by the people of Delaware ⎯ positions us as frontrunners for the Democratic nomination,” he said in an emailed statement. “Our campaign is focused on using this broad-based grassroots support to engage directly with voters so they can hear Matt’s positive vision for the future of our state.”

Loaning money to campaigns

All three Democratic candidates loaned money to their campaigns in 2023, with O’Mara loaning the most at $750,000. Meyer loaned himself $200,000 and Hall-Long loaned $1,455 and transferred over $650,000 from her other campaign committees.

“This election isn’t going to be decided by millionaires who can self fund their campaign. It will be decided by Delawareans who share Bethany’s vision of making Delaware the best place to live, work and raise a family,” Hall-Long’s campaign manager Donnie Johnson said in a prepared statement. “Our campaign is powered by the contributions of everyday Delawareans and the support of everyday Delawareans.”

O’Mara loaned his campaign the funds “to ensure it has the resources necessary to proceed, if needed.”

O'Mara, who raised over $100,000 in “just three weeks in December," dismissed insinuations that he is a wealthy candidate running for office.

"I grew up in a military family and have spent my career in public service," he said. "Today, my wife and I lead large national organizations. I drive a 10-year-old car and my kids are in public school."

O'Mara's added in a news release that talking with Delawareans up and down the state, it's clear they "aren't happy with the state of the race for governor.

“Delawareans want a real choice, big ideas, and a bold vision that meets this moment," he said. "The support we’ve received from nearly two-hundred small-dollar donors across Delaware has been incredibly encouraging.”

Hall-Long faced scrutiny last year over how loans given to her campaign were reported in campaign filings, and an internal audit discovered her campaign improperly recorded more than $300,000 as expenditures rather than loans.

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The errors revealed that over the course of six years, Hall-Long loaned her campaign $308,134 for expenses like television advertising, yard signs, campaign literature and consulting.

While Hall-Long’s campaign says the amended reports filed with the elections department “fully convey” the results of the internal audit, they do not make clear what the loans were used for.

Hall-Long’s latest campaign filing reports the $654,675.66 transferred from separate political action committees as contributions. The report also shows Hall-Long making nearly $3,000 in individual donations to her gubernatorial campaign last year.

The Republican candidate for governor as of Friday had failed to file the required year-end report, which was due end of day, Monday, Jan. 22.

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Polling suggests Hall-Long in lead, but for how long?

A recent poll conducted by Hall-Long’s campaign found the lieutenant governor holds a “strong lead” in the race for Delaware’s governor.

O’Mara has yet to officially announce his run for Delaware governor, and was not included in the Public Policy poll nor an earlier poll conducted in October last year.

The poll conducted by Public Policy Polling found Hall-Long leads Meyer by seven points in a two-way race with nearly half of the electorate undecided, and when informing voters about the candidates’ profiles, Hall-Long’s lead grows to 16 points – 38% support Hall-Long, 22% support Meyer and 41% are unsure, according to a Hall-Long campaign news release.

Public Policy Polling interviewed 643 likely Democratic primary voters statewide between Jan. 10-11, 2024 for this poll. The margin of error is +/- 3.9%.

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“This early poll is a testament to her unwavering commitment and years of dedicated public service to Delaware,” a statement from Hall-Long’s campaign reads. “As the campaign progresses, we are confident that more voters will recognize Bethany's unique qualifications and her vision to make Delaware the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”

Another poll conducted by Slingshot Strategies of 600 registered voters in October, which included positive messaging for Meyer and negative messaging for Hall-Long, found Meyer leading among Democratic voters by 40 points.

When asked to choose if the primary election were today, 55% said they’d vote for Meyer while 14% said they’d support Hall-Long and 26% were undecided. Another 5% said they would vote for “someone else.”

Among the negative messages asked of voters about Hall-Long, those polled said the lieutenant governor’s campaign finance troubles is the most convincing argument for opposing her run for governor – 67% said it was either a “very convincing” or “somewhat convincing” reason to oppose Hall-Long.

Republican candidate emerges in race

In December, Price filed to run on the Republican line for Delaware governor in 2024.

Price is a retired New York Police Department officer, who moved to Delaware’s coast about 20 years ago. According to his campaign website, he later joined the Rehoboth Beach Police Department and has an extensive career in law enforcement.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate emphasized he would focus on insurance reform, nursing home financial fairness, drug crimes and rehabilitation, education and career readiness, and strengthening law enforcement.

“My experiences have shaped my perspective, and I am compelled to address the pressing issues facing our beloved state,” Price said in his campaign literature. “Health challenges resulting from my past service limit my ability to patrol and protect, but they have not diminished my commitment to the well-being of Delawareans.”

Got a tip? Contact Amanda Fries at afries@delawareonline.com. Follow her on X at @mandy_fries.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Matt Meyer leads Democrats for governor with $1.7M cash on hand