Pivotal elections, Hunter Biden trial and more: Political stories we're following in 2024

This year is set to be a busy in Delaware and beyond.

Not only are there major statewide races that Delawareans will want to watch, but federal races and the U.S. presidential race will take center stage this year.

Here’s a look at the top political headlines you should keep an eye on:

The race for Delaware’s governor

The gubernatorial race in Delaware took shape midyear with New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer first announcing his intentions to run on the Democratic ticket in June.

Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long launched her campaign for governor in September, but less than two weeks later, she announced the campaign was conducting an internal audit to review possible financial issues with the campaign.

Hall-Long’s campaign later announced the audit found the gubernatorial candidate and her husband did not accurately report campaign-related expenses when paid for with personal credit cards and loans, but there were “no wrongdoings or violations.”

CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Filings show Lt. Gov. Hall-Long improperly reported over $300K in campaign-related expenses

Her campaign has since declined to release the full audit, insisting the amended campaign reports filed with the Delaware Department of Elections "fully convey" the results of the internal audit.

Collin O’Mara, a former state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control secretary, in November announced he is also considering running for governor on the Democratic line.

Will Carney run for Wilmington mayor?

When Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki announced in October that he would not be seeking a third term as mayor, Delaware Gov. John Carney raised his hand, stating that he was “seriously considering” a run.

In an open letter to Wilmington residents, Purzycki cited his age as one of the key factors for his decision not to seek reelection, writing that he is “for the first time in my life, aware of my age.” He described his health to be “generally good.” In 2020, he recovered from emergency heart bypass surgery.

WORKING FOR WILMINGTON?: City council approves 5-year residency requirement for new hires

The only person who has officially announced running for Wilmington’s mayor in 2024 is former City Treasurer Velda Jones-Potter. She lost to Purzycki in the 2020 Democratic primary. In recent months, Jones-Potter has spoken at City Council meetings in support of an employee residency law.

She and Purzycki are bitter political rivals, and in 2019, the city sued Jones-Potter for playing politics with city funds. She later countersued.

Will history be made with congressional seats?

State Sen. Sarah McBride, the country’s highest-ranking transgender elected official, announced her run for Delaware’s sole congressional seat in June, shortly after current U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester announced plans to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Tom Carper.

If McBride were elected, she would become the first trans person elected to federal office and also the youngest elected official Delaware has sent to Washington since President Joe Biden’s U.S. Senate win in 1972.

2024 RACES: Our updated list of Delaware candidates, announcements

A few weeks later, state Treasurer Colleen Davis announced she would run for the at-large U.S. House of Representatives seat. Then, Eugene Young, director of the Delaware State Housing Authority, announced his interest in the seat.

Young has been viewed as a rising star in Delaware politics for years, and, if elected, would be the first Black man to represent Delaware in Washington.

In October, veteran and business owner Donyale Hall announced her plans to run on the Republican line for Congress.

Investment in Delaware teachers, schools

Last session, Delaware approved increasing state employee wages, which included a 9% pay hike for teachers and a 3% to 9% increase for other state workers.

Delaware lawmakers also committed a historic amount of state funds to tackle childhood lead poisoning prevention and addressing lead in school drinking water.

Public and charter schools have access to $3.8 million to install filters throughout their buildings, in an effort to get as close to undetectable levels of lead in school drinking water.

Elected officials also approved another $3 million in state money to help pay for remediating lead exposures and fund its childhood lead poisoning prevention efforts. Those funds include $2 million set aside to help property owners address lead exposure problems and expand the state’s case management and testing of children 24 months old and younger.

STATE SPENDING: For the first time, Delaware wants to spend $3M on childhood lead poisoning prevention

Legal weed was greenlighted in 2023. What’s next?

The General Assembly legalized recreational marijuana this past spring after a decadelong attempt. Delaware’s Gov. Carney, notably, has been against the policy for years but allowed the bills to become law without his signature.

The legislation legalizes marijuana for personal use for people 21 and older. It is still illegal to consume weed in public, and employers are still allowed to have a zero-tolerance policy.

Following the plant’s legalization, Carney named a former top law enforcement official to oversee the state’s implementation of recreational marijuana laws and industry.

Robert Coupe, who is the current chief of staff for the Department of Technology & Information, has led multiple state agencies over the years. He also served as superintendent of Delaware State Police, secretary of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security and chief of staff for Attorney General Kathy Jennings.

LATEST: Beaches act first as Delaware towns consider marijuana regulations before stores arrive

It will likely take close to two years for Delawareans to purchase weed in a First State dispensary, but in the interim, communities across the state are beginning to weigh whether to allow or prohibit the sale of the plant. The state will distribute 30 retail licenses through a competitive bidding process 16 months after the law went into effect.

Hunter Biden on trial in Delaware

Hunter Biden on Oct. 3 pleaded not guilty to three federal firearm felonies before a federal judge in Wilmington.

Prosecutors then filed tax charges in California, which President Joe Biden’s son pleaded not guilty to on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

RELATED: Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to federal gun charges in Wilmington. What's next?

Hunter Biden’s attorneys recently filed motions to dismiss the federal firearm charges, arguing that “prosecutors had reneged on promises they made while negotiating a plea deal over weapons and tax charges that later collapsed,” the news outlet reported.

The federal government disagrees, which could set up a contentious court battle in Delaware this year.

The charges stem from Hunter Biden's purchase of a .38-caliber revolver at a local gun shop in 2018. During the purchase, he indicated on a federal form that he was not a drug user, but prosecutors contend that during that time, he purchased and used crack cocaine regularly.

The president’s son himself has written about his struggles with addiction and stints in rehab around that time.

The charges against the president’s son include lying to the gun dealer, lying on the federal application to purchase the weapon and possessing the illegally purchased firearm − all felonies. The charges carry up to 25 years in prison, though it’s rare for first-time offenders like Hunter Biden to receive a maximum sentence if convicted.

Phasing out gas-powered cars

Delaware has joined a handful of states that have committed to gradually phasing out all gas-powered cars, with the transportation sector serving as the largest source of pollution emissions in the First State.

Emissions from gas-powered vehicles are responsible for around 30% of Delaware’s gross greenhouse gas emissions. About 60% of those emissions come from passenger cars and light-duty trucks, which the state mandate aims to target.

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn Garvin approved the Advanced Clean Car II Act in late November, requiring automobile manufacturers in the state to hit a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicle sales each year, which will increase gradually between 2027 and 2032.

READ MORE: Delaware implements electric vehicle mandate, phasing out the sale of gas-powered cars

By 2027, the mandate will require 43% of new cars and trucks sent to Delaware for sale to be zero-emission vehicles. This percentage will gradually increase to 82% by 2032, and the mandate is set to expire by model year 2033.

Delaware has one of the lowest electric vehicle counts in the country. As of Dec. 31, 2022, just above 5,000 vehicles were registered in the state.

The clear car act is similar to California’s existing electric vehicle model.

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: Delaware elections, Hunter Biden trial among 2024 stories to follow