41st District candidates offer views on issues
August 28, 2026
John Atkins
Age: 56
Hometown: Millsboro
Family: Three sons: Chase, Jared and Jake; two grandchildren
Education: Graduate of Sussex Central High School
Experience: Served six terms in the Delaware General Assembly
Douglas Conaway
Age: 53
Hometown: Gumboro
Family: Wife of 28 years, two children
Education: Delaware Technical Community College, associate’s degree, criminal Justice; Roger Williams University, bachelor’s degree, public administration; U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy graduate
Experience: Senior enlisted leader to more than 300,000 soldiers across the globe; 25 years military leadership, including combat operations and mentoring other nations' military
Jacki Slonin
Age: 51
Hometown: Born and raised in Selbyville; now resides in Dagsboro
Family: Mother Terry Johnson; husband, Nick Slonin; fur babies Truman, Pearl, Augie and Norm; in-laws, the Rev. Dr. Alex Slonin, retired, and his wife Melva
Education: Attended Indian River School District; Delaware Tech Community College, associate’s degree, criminal justice
Experience: Held positions in the retail, real estate, banking and restaurant industries until completion of college. For the last two decades, worked in marketing, which taught her how to listen, solve problems, communicate clearly, bring different types of people together, manage budgets, build consensus and earn trust while producing results. Prior to stepping away from a marketing career, she started an online business, which has now been in existence for over eight years and offers services for homes and businesses countrywide
If elected, what would your legislative priority be?
Atkins: My legislative priority will be to re-establish excellent constituent service to the 41st District. I have over a decade of experience in the state House and a proven track record of providing hands-on assistance and results to citizens in Millsboro, Gumboro, Dagsboro, Frankford, Roxana and Selbyville. I will work to significantly increase funding for farmland preservation, which has lagged over the last decade. I will work to hold DelDOT more accountable in building roads before communities are established. I also strongly support dredging to make our local waterways easier to navigate.
Conaway: When elected, my prioritization will be based on my constituency interaction. I will listen to their greatest concerns and focus on resolving their issues. The glaring issue that affects residents, visitors, commuters and emergency responders is growth and infrastructure. We must work to build safe, reliable and well-maintained roadways.
Slonin: If elected, my legislative priority will be ensuring responsible growth while protecting the quality of life that makes Sussex County a great place to call home. Growth is happening, but it must be balanced with the infrastructure, roads, schools, emergency services and resources needed to support our communities. Residents deserve to have their voices heard and considered in decisions that impact their neighborhoods. I will also focus on affordability by advocating for responsible government spending, reducing unnecessary burdens on taxpayers and supporting families, seniors and small businesses. My commitment is to be proactive, not reactive, bringing a fresh perspective, working across party lines when it benefits Delaware residents and making decisions based on the needs of the community.
Senate Bill 23 has caused local concerns regarding its affordable housing implications. What do you think about the bill, and do you think Millsboro and western Sussex need more affordable housing options?
Atkins: Senate Bill 23 was passed too quickly without understanding what would happen as a result of its passage. The eastern Sussex representatives who sponsored it have stated they did not even fully understand what was in the bill. The bill will allow the state to bypass county council, and some of the avenues for public input and participation. Affordable housing is an important goal, but local communities and officials must not have their voices and views ignored.
Conaway: Local governance has their own charter and code which governs the municipalities. Their understanding of the needs is better than the state legislative body. If the state or the governor negates the local municipalities, then where does the legislative mandate stop?
Slonin: Affordable housing is an important issue, and we need to ensure that working families, seniors and young professionals have opportunities to live and remain in our communities. However, affordable housing solutions must be thoughtfully planned and balanced with infrastructure capacity, community needs and local input. I believe local governments and residents should have a meaningful voice in decisions that impact their neighborhoods. While Senate Bill 23 aims to address housing challenges, we must carefully consider how it affects local planning, resources, roads, schools and emergency services. Sussex County in general needs a variety of housing options, but we must focus on responsible growth rather than simply increasing the number of homes. The goal should be creating sustainable communities where housing is attainable without sacrificing the character and quality of life residents value.
The General Assembly overrode a governor veto that would have kept local control over retail cannabis establishments, with particular implications for Sussex County. Do you agree with the legislative override? Why or why not?
Atkins: I have always been a strong advocate for local control in general. We cannot have legislators from Wilmington dictating what is best for our communities in Sussex County. I want Sussex towns to have the power to reflect the needs and wishes of local citizens on retail cannabis locations and other contentious issues.
Conaway: If the majority of legislators are capable of overriding the governor’s veto, regardless of the issue, this is the democratic process. That is the reason it is imperative to have elected officials who represent your values and beliefs.
Slonin: I believe decisions that directly impact local communities should include meaningful input from the residents and local governments who understand their unique needs and concerns. So I agree with keeping decisions local. While I recognize the state has a role in establishing consistent laws and regulations, local communities should have a voice when it comes to issues that affect public safety, economic development and the character of their neighborhoods. A one-size-fits-all approach from Dover may not always reflect the priorities of every region, especially in areas like Sussex County with distinct community needs. If elected, I will support policies that encourage collaboration between the state and local governments, ensuring that communities are not left out of decisions that directly affect them. Good government requires listening to the people and respecting the importance of local input.
What is your opinion on the amount of money the state spends?
Atkins: Recent state spending has clearly outpaced the rate of inflation. Dover needs greater fiscal discipline. In recent fiscal years, spending has increased 9.3% and 7.3% on an annual basis. That level of spending is not sustainable long term. The governor and elected officials must establish priorities and stay within budget goals, like families must do with their own personal checkbooks.
Conaway: The operating budget has increased more than 50% since COVID. A real breakdown by line item needs to be analyzed to determine waste, fraud and abuse. Additionally, we must safeguard our revenue as corporate tax collection has decreased.
Slonin: I believe Delaware residents deserve a government that is responsible, transparent and accountable with taxpayer dollars. While some investments are necessary to support education, public safety, infrastructure and services that benefit our communities, we must continually evaluate whether spending is effective and providing a good return for taxpayers. I support reviewing government programs, identifying inefficiencies and ensuring that funding is directed toward the areas where it is needed most. We should be careful about creating new ongoing expenses without understanding the long-term impact on taxpayers. My goal is not simply to cut spending, but to make government work smarter – protecting essential services while being responsible with the money hardworking Delaware families, seniors and businesses contribute.
