At events in Lewes and Georgetown, Republican candidate Ruth Briggs King on Thursday officially launched her campaign to fill the vacant seat in the 37th Representative District.
The Sept. 12 special election is required to replace former State Rep. Joe Booth, who resigned his seat after winning an Aug. 3 special election in the 19th Senatorial District.
“I’m excited about this race and I’m energized about this wonderful opportunity,” Briggs King said.
Briggs King is a former Delaware public school teacher and was nominated for Teacher of the Year in 1991. She has also held several positions in the business world. Currently, Briggs King is the executive vice-president of the Sussex County Association of Realtors, although she is not a realtor herself. She holds a master’s degree in Human Resources and a bachelor’s degree in Business Professions, both of which were earned at Wilmington University.
“I bring a lot of professional and educational experience to this race,” Briggs King said. “I’ve worked in the public and private sectors, giving me a solid underpinning to discuss the diverse issues impacting our community.”
Briggs King is on the advisory board of the Diamond State Community Land Trust, which works to provide affordable housing for working families in Sussex County. Additionally, she is a member of the Georgetown-Millsboro Rotary, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, and Bayshore Community Church. “I’m also involved with some fundraising efforts on behalf of Del Tech,” she said.
“I’ve known Ruth for years and her insights have often helped me to be a better state representative,” said incoming Senator Joe Booth. “I think she is the right candidate for the job and I’m looking forward to introducing Ruth to the people in the 37th District that don’t already know her.”
State House Minority Leader Richard Cathcart said it’s not just the citizens of the 37th District who will be impacted by the choice they make in this race.
“Democrats in the State House of Representatives are one seat shy of the three-fifths majority they need to unilaterally pass tax increases,” he said.
“Because we had that leverage this year, House Republicans were able to reduce the size of state government and ensure that the major tax increases that were enacted will have a short, limited lifespan. Without this seat, it would have been impossible for us to win those concessions.”
Briggs King (53) has been married to her husband, Stanley, for 33 years. The couple resides near Georgetown and has two adult sons: Jared and Justin.
