36th incumbent Shupe faces challenger Smith in Republican primary

August 28, 2026

Melissa Steele, Cape Gazette

Third time running against each other

Bryan Shupe

Age: 41

Hometown: Milford

Family: Wife, Sherry; daughter, Evelyn (9); son, Theodore (6)

Education: BA in political science, University of Delaware

Experience: Small business owner, Fur Baby Pet Resort (15 years); owner, Farmacy Market (three years); local journalist and owner, Milford Live (12 years); mayor of Milford (four years); state representative (eight years)

Patrick Smith

Age: 40

Hometown: Ellendale

Family: Wife, Shannon Smith; two Labradors

Education: MBA in information systems, Wilmington University; bachelor’s degree, West Virginia University

Experience: Community volunteer, volunteer firefighter, firearms advocate, vice president of Eastern Sussex Republican Club, finance and information technology background, concerned citizen

If elected, what would your legislative priority be?

Shupe: My top legislative priority is reducing the financial pressure on working families. Delawareans are paying more for housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, taxes and everyday necessities. State government should be helping families keep more of the money they earn. I have authored and supported tax-relief proposals, including reducing personal income taxes, eliminating state income tax on overtime earnings, lowering the real estate transfer tax and reducing personal income tax and the gross receipts tax that increases costs for small businesses and consumers. We have to address government policies that contribute to higher costs. That means controlling state spending, reducing unnecessary regulations on small businesses, encouraging responsible housing development, and increasing competition and access to healthcare. Families have to balance their budgets every month. State government should be held to the same standard. My priority is simple: make Delaware more affordable and allow working families to keep more of what they earn.

Smith: I would work closely on initiatives helping our first responders in Delaware, specifically, resources we are providing our volunteer agencies. As a first responder, this type of legislation is important to me. Secondly, I would work with farmers and land preservation entities to determine how to best serve Sussex County for generations to come. We are seeing the very essence of Sussex County deteriorate each day, and guardrails are needed to help curtail this trend. While I am pro-growth, I am also highly concerned with the change in the quality of life we are seeing occur in Sussex County. Last, Delaware government is rapidly expanding and making it more expensive for Delawareans. I will seek ways to make life cheaper for every Delaware citizen, especially in District 36. This is a vast statement, but the sentiment is that the cost of living in Delaware is really becoming noticeable for families here.

Senate Bill 23 has caused concerns locally over its affordable housing implications. What do you think about the bill, and do you think Milford needs more affordable housing options?

Shupe: Milford needs more attainable housing options, particularly for young families, seniors and working residents who want to live in the community they serve. However, I do not believe Senate Bill 23 provides the right solution. My concern is that it takes important land-use decisions away from local communities while increasing density and limiting meaningful local review. Housing and growth cannot be separated from infrastructure. I support creating more housing through responsible means, and new growth must pay for new growth. People who have lived here for decades or generations should not be forced to pay higher taxes to fund roads, schools, water and sewer infrastructure, and increased demands on our first responders created by new development. We can create more attainable housing while protecting existing residents. Growth should be responsible, infrastructure should keep pace and the cost of growth should not be placed on the backs of families already here.

Smith: I have seen a rental trend developing in Milford, and I believe homeownership is one of the best privileges we can have as working Americans. Getting stuck in the rental cycle can inhibit someone from ever getting ahead enough to buy. If the local market is calling for more housing, then it is a great move to expand the supply. But I do not believe building in excess just to attract more folks to move here and to sell homes is the right path, either. We are seeing how this can be detrimental to roads, infrastructure and public safety. SB 23 is worrisome to me because the state is making growth and development mandates for local jurisdictions. I believe land-use decisions should mostly be made at the local level by elected officials from those jurisdictions. I do not think there should be more bureaucratic interference and state oversight.

The General Assembly overrode a governor veto that would have kept local control over retail cannabis establishments. Do you agree with the legislative override? Why or why not?

Shupe: I do not agree with taking local control away from communities. Municipalities are responsible for land-use decisions, zoning, policing, traffic and many impacts associated with retail cannabis establishments. It does not make sense for the state to remove that authority while leaving local governments responsible for dealing with the consequences. This is part of a larger concern I have with the direction of state government. Whether the issue is housing, development or cannabis establishments, Dover should not continually substitute its judgment for that of locally elected officials and the residents they represent. Delaware is a small state, but our communities are very different. What may be appropriate in one municipality may not be appropriate in another. State government can establish statewide standards while respecting the ability of local communities to determine what is appropriate for them. Those decisions should remain as close to the people affected by them as possible.

Smith: The local control would have best suited Delawareans. Not every community is the same nor has the same disposition on marijuana. This trend of pushing local issues to the state level is not one I support. We are just expanding our overreach and control of Delaware citizens.

What is your opinion on the amount of money the state spends?

Shupe: Delaware has a spending problem. Over the past six years, state spending has increased approximately 42%, significantly outpacing revenue growth. That trajectory is not sustainable, and it is why I have consistently raised concerns about the direction of our state finances. I have voted against budgets that increase spending without sustainable revenue to support that growth. When families and small businesses face slower revenue growth, they have to prioritize their spending. State government should be required to do the same. I authored constitutional spending limits that prevent government spending from growing at an unsustainable rate. The state also needs to examine vacancies, administrative growth, unnecessary capital projects and programs that are not producing measurable results. Every dollar the state spends first came from a taxpayer. We have a responsibility to use that money carefully, focus on essential services, eliminate waste and protect taxpayers from paying for unsustainable government growth.

Smith: Delaware’s budget has grown 210% since 2000 and approximately $2.5 billion since 2018. While revenues slump and major corporations are hitting the road for more business-friendly states, the Delaware taxpayer picks up the tab. My opponent, Rep. Bryan Shupe, voted to pass four straight spending increases for Delaware prior to me running against him in 2022. We need to reduce government size, cut back on handouts and lower taxes for our citizens. This is not a right or left issue – it affects everyone.